So Close And Still So Far
by ComingAndGoingByBubble
Summary: Instead of finishing her education, Galinda Upland ends up marrying Sir Chuffrey and making the biggest mistake of her life. As she is thrown into the world of politics and worldly affairs she finds out that nothing in Oz is as it seems, and she becomes close with the people she left behind at Shiz. Bookverse and Gelphie. Winner of the 6th Wicked Greg Awards for Best Gelphie!
1. Chapter 1

**A multichapter fanfic about Galinda and what if she had gotten married her first year at Shiz and Elphaba and her lost touch. Based off of the true story of the Duchess Georgania of Devonshire and the movie with Keira Knightly. Hope you all enjoy. Heavily bookverse.**

**Bubble**

Intrigues Of The Mind

Chapter One:

Galinda came home to Frottica on her Lurlinemas break during her first year at Shiz University to find her parents too eager and too proud for everything to be normal. It seemed like, to Galinda, that they were going to burst from the seams if they kept whatever information they were withholding from their daughter any longer.

"Mother, Father what ever is the matter," asked Galinda as herself and her parents sat around the dining room table quietly eating while the servants came in and out with more food or to take their plates away.

Her father, Highmuster looked up at her and dabbed at the leftover soup that had gotten on his dark beard, "I think that that is up to your mother to tell you, Galinda."

The blonde now looked at her mother, who was in every single way like her daughter down to the curve of their noses and the shape of their blonde hair.

Larena Upland beamed brightly at her young daughter, "Galinda… your father and I have very important and exciting news to tell you about."

Her mother paused and Galinda's fingers fidgeted at her spoon agitated and anxious to know what her mother had to say. Had Popsicle gotten a raise? Had her mother gotten that golden carriage she had wanted? Was she finally getting her own dorm so she wouldn't have to share hers with Elphaba Thropp, although she and the green bean had somehow become friends?

"Sir Chuffrey, the largest land and stock owner in all of Gillikin has asked us for your hand in marriage," squealed Larena barely able to contain her excitement.

Galinda dropped her spoon into her soup, causing the liquid to splatter all over her dress. But she barely noticed.

"Excuse me?" she managed to say as her whole body and mind went numb.

Her parents exchanged glances, "Darling," said her father, "Sir Chuffrey would like to marry you, and it would be a fine match if you said yes. You'd be a Lady, and obtain a position in the Emerald City if his business extends to there. Your mother and I would think it best if you did marry him."

Galinda brought her hand down to her lap, and rested it on the white fabric of her dress.

"What about Shiz? You want me to leave my education behind?"

"Chuffrey promised that he will hire the best tutors in the world if you marry him. He wouldn't want your education to be missed on his account," rushed in Larena.

Galinda's parents both looked at their daughter with hopeful eyes.

"But," said the blonde "I've only met him twice. I mean- does he even love me?"

Her blue eyes looked into her mothers'.

"Of course, darling, he expressed it to your father and I very poetically. Some men just have trouble communicating their feelings of love but that doesn't mean he doesn't have any for you. He says that you are a charming young woman, and he would be delighted to have you as his wife. And of course darling, think of all the money you will receive by being his wife. Money has its benefits, you know!"

As her mother rambled on about the good benefits of marrying Sir Chuffrey Galinda tried to think of the two occasions she had met Sir Chuffrey. Once had been at a wedding for a friend of her mother's, and Galinda recalled thinking of him as an older gentleman with little to say. The second time, Galinda recalled more features, his graying hair and beard, his sagging skin, the smell of brandy on his breath…

Galinda squirmed at the thought. Even though he had seemed nice enough, Galinda couldn't help but wonder if he was right for her… but then again he had been easy on the eyes. Chocolate, dark eyes… almost like Elphie's…

Galinda stopped her thoughts right there. Elphaba's name had no place in that thought. Why her mind had said her name, the reasons were buried in Galinda's soul for she could not express them out loud. The blonde and the green girl certainly were friends now, maybe even best friends but nothing more than that. Or there was nothing more that either of them wanted to admit…

"Galinda… what do you say?" Her mother's question pulled the seventeen-year old away from her thoughts.

She chewed her bottom lip and looked around. Her parents looked so hopeful and happy for her. Maybe this would be a good thing. Maybe this would be the one thing that Galinda would never regret in her life.

Taking a deep breath, she answered her parents' question, "I-I say yes."

**Review please?**


	2. Saying Goodbye

Chapter Two:

The next time Galinda's carriage arrived at Shiz University was after the holidays to clean out her dorm of her belongings, tell Madame Morrible that she was leaving, and to say goodbye to her friends. The wedding was in a week, Larena had sent a letter to Sir Chuffrey the night that Galinda said yes and he had wasted no time in the preparations of the wedding. Galinda's mother was already looking for dresses.

As for Galinda, time was passing her by way too quickly. She was fearful of how her friends would react to the reality that she was not coming back, and she was fearful of her own reaction when everything sunk in.

Galinda disembarked from the carriage as soon as it stopped. The familiarity of the University seemed to mock Galinda as she passed through the halls with her empty suitcases and Ama Clutch up to her dorm.

She unlocked the door and opened it to find Elphaba sitting on her bed with a flimsy blanket around her and of course with a book in her lap.

"Blondie," she greeted with a nod as Galinda put her suitcase on the top of her bed. To Galinda suddenly the whole arrangement of being married seemed foreign, something that she was not ready for, and she sniffled a bit to keep the silly tears back as she opened the suitcase to put her belongings away.

Truth be told, Galinda was going to miss being in college. She loved everything about Shiz, even her roommate who had just taken a few months to get to know. The thought of leaving the life she now knew seemed unbearable.

Galinda felt Ama Clutch's hand on her shoulder as the older woman looked at her and nodded gently.

"Better to tell her now than later," said Ama Clutch as she took one of the suitcases and went over to the closet to retrieve the clothes that Galinda had left behind.

Elphaba had now stared at Galinda for a while now with a critical look in her eyes.

Galinda stared back at her, more like she glanced at everything else but her roommate.

"Miss Galinda, I trust that you had a good holiday," said the green bean slowly. She waited in silence, like a striking cat that waited for its prey.

Galinda swallowed hard, "I did," she said absently.

Elphaba leaned forward, her spectacles sliding down her thin nose, "Then why do you seem so… off?"

Her eyes flickered to the now open and empty suitcase that lie on the bed, and back to Galinda.

"I have… good news," said Galinda looking up from her feet at Elphaba.

Elphaba waited, and raised an eyebrow. The rest of her face was impassive, almost emotionless.

"I'm to be married, to Sir Chuffrey," the words sounded weird as they came out of Galinda's mouth and she probably made a face as she said them.

Silence came next for a while. Galinda could judge by the look on her friend's face that she was thinking. She had her eyes focused on something that was not here, and her body grew rigid.

Galinda would sorely miss seeing Elphaba think, or do anything for that matter. She was actually quite glad that they had become friends after all. If Galinda had stayed friends with Pfannee and Shen-Shen, she would have gone mad from their pettiness. At least with Elphaba she could talk about something other than gossip. It was nice to have such a friend to rely on.

That's why the next words that flew out of Galinda's mouth were of no surprise to either girl," And I want you to be my maid of honor."

The green girl seemed to be unphased by that, and that only brought more silence.

Galinda stood there in front of her bed, her fingers twitching in irritation.

"Don't you have anything to say?" she blurted out as Ama Clutch left the room to tell Morrible of the situation.

"Well, you don't mean the wedding is now, do you? Surely you mean after graduation, Miss Galinda?" said Elphaba after a moment of pause.

Galinda bit her lip, tilted her head upwards as the tears pooled in her eyes. It was stupid, surely that she was crying over this, but for some reason Galinda was getting very emotional.

"No, I mean next week," she managed out with a few sniffles.

Elphaba's face remained unchanged, "Oh," was all she said.

The door reopened and Galinda saw Ama Clutch and Morrible entering the room as she wiped her tears away.

"Oh, Miss Galinda," greeted Morrible as she strode over to the blonde, giving her a very rare hug, "How wonderful and yet how sad your situation is!" Morrible patted Galinda's hands with her own, "But yet life goes on dearies. I hope you don't mind, but I brought Grommetik along to help you and dear Ama Clutch with your luggage. Your Ama already arranged for you to be taken off the lists of classes, but I do expect an invitation to the wedding!" Morrible grasped her hands and looked at the blonde.

"I do hope you please him," were her parting words as she left the blonde, her roommate, her caregiver, and the machine to themselves.

Galinda reeled at that statement and stood there frozen for a bit. Her breath became ragged and her hands grew icy cold. What if Chuffrey hated her? What if he tried to kill her, or got so drunk that he did something dangerous to her? What if harmed her so badly on their wedding night that she bled to death? Galinda knew what her expectations were as a wife but she hoped that Chuffrey would wait a few years before they had any children. Galinda was only seventeen after all! She'd be petrified if she became pregnant at this age. Her mind went through many different and all horrific scenarios of being married to Chuffrey as she stood there in her state.

Suddenly Elphaba put both hands on the blonde's shoulders and shook her hard, "Galinda, snap out of it!" she yelled at her.

After that, Galinda seemed to refocus and she shuddered before she did anything.

"Sorry," she muttered as she folded her hands together, and gazed downwards.

She looked better now, to Elphaba, the color had returned in her cheeks and her blue eyes were not glossed over.

"Galinda, everything is going to be fine with your husband. You're better off than the rest of us," said Elphaba with a grim smile.

Galinda smiled back at her friend, "Yes, I suppose so." Her happy mood vanished then as tears spilled down her cheeks again, "But you will come to the wedding, right? You, Fiyero, Boq, Avaric, Crope, Tibbett, and you can even bring your sister Nessa. I regret how I won't be able to meet her."

Elphaba smirked at her roommate.

"No, you don't but thanks for saying so anyways. I guess she'll have to room with me now that you're leaving."

Elphaba did not seem too pleased about that. But she did not stay on that subject for long, "So who is this Sir Chuffrey?"

Galinda swallowed and told her all about the Paltos baron that she was marrying in a week, feeling better with each minute that she spent with Elphaba.

After spending some time in her dorm with Grommetik taking things to and from the room, her luggage was finally all packed up and Ama Clutch was waiting in the carriage outside whilst Galinda said her goodbyes.

In her dorm, Galinda looked around at her now bare side of the room and compared it to Elphaba's. There wasn't much on either side but she was still going to miss it.

"So," said Galinda turning to her green friend, "I shall see you in a week at my house, and please for the love of Lurline, Elphie wear something other than black! My wedding is _not_ a funeral! Oh and can you be a dear and make sure that Crope and Tibbett do not show up in dresses or drag, I think my mother would faint from such a sight!" laughed Galinda as she hugged Elphaba one last time from the doorway of her dorm.

Elphaba glanced down at her attire, which was a black nightdress, and sighed, "I'll do my best, Mrs. Chuffrey or shall I call you Lady Chuffrey?" Elphaba was teasing and Galinda knew it but for some reason the whole honorific bothered Galinda.

"Neither, you will still address me as Galinda," said the blonde as she stood up tall, and started to walk away from her dorm.

"Galinda!"

The young woman turned on her heel, "Yes?"

"I guess that your maid in shining combat boots will be there at the ceremony next week, whether it is by force or choice is still unclear to her," said Elphaba with a wry smile as she flashed a few green fingers as a wave goodbye and disappeared as the door closed.

Galinda smiled and stood looking at the door for a moment. Then she shook her head and made her way to the carriage that awaited her that took her far from the place that she had called home these past few months.

**What are all of your thoughts? Oh and what should Galinda's dress look like? **

**Bubble**


	3. The Wedding

Chapter Three:

The maid pulled hard on the taut strings of the corseted dress that was on Galinda's body. Galinda gasped in pain as she felt her waist and ribs being crushed by the hard bodice. She gripped the posts of her bed with digging nails as she gritted her teeth.

"Beauty is pain, Galinda," reminded Larena as she entered her daughter's bedroom dressed in a pale shade of purple.

"Then I must look stunning because I feel like I'm going to faint," grimaced Galinda as she stood up, and released her death grip on the posts.

She turned to face her mother.

Larena's eyes suddenly got glossy, "You do look stunning," she said choked up as she reached for a tissue. She dabbed her eyes lightly, "You look like an angel from the Other World."

Galinda tried hard to resist the urge to roll her eyes at her mother's dramatics. She moved to a full-length mirror as her mother tried to compose herself again, and looked at the reflection.

Even though she flaunted her looks a lot, Galinda could not deny that she had never looked more beautiful than today. Her blonde hair was curled in bouncy glittering locks, her eyes were lined in silver eye shadow and black mascara and eyeliner, highlighting the dark blue in them, and her mouth was the perfect shade of red lipstick. Her dress was simply gorgeous. A tight lace bodice with a sweetheart neckline that showed just enough of her breasts for it to be acceptable to wear with all ages of people around. The skirt was just out enough so that Galinda could move her legs around, and it was adorned with silver roses. In her hair were a silver rose hair clip and a small veil that covered her eyes hung from the clip.

"Everyone is here, the last time I checked," said Larena as she glided towards her daughter. She hugged her tightly, "You're going to be so happy with him, Galinda. I promise you."

Galinda felt tears brimming her eyes but she stopped them and forced herself to smile at her mother graciously, "Thank you, Mom. Can you call Elphie in to make sure I'm ready?"

Larena's face drooped at the mention of the only green guest and maid of honor, and she smiled and turned away to fetch her.

Galinda dismissed the maid away and stood, gazing at her reflection until Elphaba knocked on the door asking to come in.

Galinda opened it for her, and shut it when she entered. As Elphaba walked in, Galinda got a good look at her dress. It was not black Lurline above Galinda could not believe that but a very pretty dark blue color with a simple design on the front of crossed stitching. Elphaba had her hair down for once, in pretty black waves, and a silver rose hair clip was in her hair as well. Larena had decided that if all the girls were going to be wearing different dresses than they could all at least wear the same hair clip. If Elphaba didn't like the clip than she was keeping her opinions to herself.

"I think you should change the honorific on the programs," said Elphaba after a moment of silence.

Galinda raised a questionable eyebrow at her, "Why?"

"Because I think my title now is the maid of horror. Of course I'm just going by people's reactions to when they see me…" Elphaba snorted, and Galinda found it endearing.

"You are my maid of honor, and yes honor not horror for a reason. You're my best friend," said Galinda simply.

"Then you obviously don't have many friends if I'm your best friend," Elphaba smirked and Galinda giggled but the action caused her stomach to stretch in a corset that did not allow stretching.

She grimaced, and Elphaba noticed.

"How tight is that dress?"

"Like a second skin," replied Galinda in a mutter.

Silence brought Galinda to move about in that tight dress, and she stiffly sat down next to Elphaba on the edge of the bed.

"So how many people do you really know out there? Because they all look ancient," commented Elphaba dryly.

"Our group of friends, a couple of people from my town, and the rest of all Chuffrey's business men and co-workers," said Galinda.

She continued; "I haven't even seen him at all this week. It's been hectic, going from this store to that store, buying these flowers, getting this type of food… and I didn't sleep well last night either," admitted the blonde.

"Nerves?" guessed Elphaba as she looked straight ahead at the door.

Galinda gulped, "Yes."

"I wouldn't worry. I mean I've never been to a wedding before, so I don't know what's the worst that could happen but I've seen some funerals get out of hand and-"

Galinda stopped her with a glare, "Elphaba. You're not helping. And it's not the wedding I'm worried about… it's everything afterwards…" she trailed off leaving Elphaba to fill in the blanks.

"Oh, yes well I'm sorry but I can't help you there my sweet. Maybe it will be a one time thing where you get pregnant, have an heir and you're done." The statement was said with the driest sarcasm Galinda had ever heard and she whimpered in response.

Galinda buried her face in her hands and almost had a nervous breakdown when she felt Elphaba's arms around her.

"Galinda, I'm sorry I didn't mean to scare you. It's just- I can't promise you anything because I don't know what will happen tonight. No one can promise you anything."

Galinda's crying ceased and from her leaned over state she wailed, "Can I die from bleeding to death?"

At this, Elphaba yanked the blonde up and sat her up straight.

"Galinda, listen to me. You are not going to die. You're going to be just fine. I'm sure he'll be gentle with you. Try and enjoy it."

Galinda sniffled and wiped the tears off of her face. "I guess."

"Besides," said the green girl with a false smile, "You love children, right?"

"Yeah," said the blonde as she finally stopped crying.

Galinda compensated on that for a minute or two, "I feel much better now, Elphaba thank you."

Galinda looked at Elphaba and the two friends smiled at each other.

The door opened then and in walked both of Galinda's parents.

"Alright darling, it's time!" squealed Larena as she ran over to Galinda and hugged her fiercely. Galinda could feel the blood draining from her face but she arranged a smile on her face instead. Her mother then strode off to take her seat, and it was just Galinda, Elphaba, and her father.

Taking one last glance at Elphaba before she slid her arm into her father's, Elphaba winked at the blonde, making her feel secure. She looked at her father and watched as the rest of her bridesmaids lined themselves after Elphaba. They were mostly girls from Frottica, and then Elphaba. Galinda wouldn't have had it any other way.

"You ready?" her father asked giving her hand a light squeeze.

Galinda nodded, and then gripped her father's arm tightly when the music began to play, "Don't let go of me until we get to the altar, promise?" whispered Galinda as fear clenched her stomach.

"I promise," swore her father as the doors opened and they started walking down the aisle. Galinda was flabbergasted at just how many people were here. The lines of pews seemed to go on forever and she remained steady as she strode slowly down the carpet.

Everything was going fine, Galinda was smiling at the numerous guests; Madame Morrible, Shen-Shen, Pfannee, Fiyero, Boq, Avaric, Crope and Tibbett, and the other people that she had no idea who they were.

Finally she came to altar where Sir Chuffrey was standing. She had been so nervous that she hadn't looked at him at all as she came down the aisle. She was too stressed about not wanting to trip in her white 5' heels.

Her father unlocked his arm from hers, hugged and kissed her, and then gave her to Chuffrey who held her hands in his.

Galinda watched nervously, trying to keep that smile on her face, as the bridesmaids came, and the ring bearers, who were Galinda's little cousins. Galinda waited for Elphaba to arrive, and had purposely put her last so that Galinda could make sure that no said anything about her friend while she was walking.

Suddenly Elphaba appeared in the doorway and began in her walk in her army combat boots. Galinda struggled to keep herself from giggling. Elphaba was certainly not comfortable with all eyes on her, but she kept her own glued to Galinda's either as a warning that she was going to kill her after this or she was so nervous she couldn't look at anyone else.

Galinda heard Crope and Tibbett call out something obnoxious that made all the friends in the charmed circle from Shiz laugh but no one else. Even Elphaba apparently heard it and was now trying to keep her face expressionless but bouts of laughter kept creeping up in her smile.

She made it to the altar and handed Galinda her bouquet of white roses, "You owe me for this," she whispered as she took her spot behind Galinda. The blonde smirked.

The priest now held up his hands and Galinda focused her attention on Chuffrey.

He looked very nice with his graying hair combed back, and his black tuxedo made him look very presentable. His dark eyes though had no emotion in them and he stared at her blankly.

"You look beautiful," he commented in a low gruff voice, though it sounded like someone told him to say that. Either way, Galinda thanked him and told him that he looked handsome. He merely nodded at the remark.

Suddenly Galinda felt hot, burning actually and her whole body felt like someone set a fire to it. Her skin was radiating off heat, and she felt her cheeks flush redder and redder. She couldn't understand why she was feeling this way. She squirmed in the dress, trying to loosen the corset thinking that was the problem but Galinda only felt hotter and sicker.

Nerves, she told herself, its just nerves. Galinda took a long deep breath to calm herself but that did not help either.

She watched as the priest was saying things, but Galinda couldn't hear him. The images in front of her became blurry and she felt herself swaying.

"Catch her she's going to faint!" she heard Elphaba yell, and Galinda briefly wondered if Elphaba was talking about Galinda or someone else.

It was only a matter of time before Galinda crumpled to the floor in a faint…

While her world was dark, Galinda could still hear the voices around her talking.

"She needs… shock-" said a voice familiar to her, probably her mother.

"I'll kiss her, I will be-" rang out Boq's unmistakable voice as he jumped at the opportunity to what was it? Kiss her?

"Shut up, munchkin that won't give… shock… someone else…" piped up Crope and Tibbett.

"If no one…. I will," said a voice as Galinda's world became darker and darker and her hearing faded away.

The next thing Galinda saw when she woke up was Elphaba's lips pressed against hers.

**I had to do that! Hehe, I'm having way too much fun with this story! Warning: next chapter will be gruesome. Do not read if you are under age 13! **

**Bubble**


	4. Wedding Night

Chapter Four:

Galinda awoke to Elphaba's lips pressed to hers, and she widened her eyes at the action. Her memory was hazy but certainly she would have remembered if Elphaba and she had done something else or had gotten romantically involved. Then in a sudden it all came back to her, and Galinda jerked up off the ground. Elphaba pulled away with a smirk on her green face.

Elphaba had just kissed her at her own wedding, right in front of Chuffrey, and her parents and everyone else for that matter. She ran a hand through her hair nervously and looked up at Elphaba, breathing heavily. Her mother knelt down to help support her.

"Are you alright, darling? You gave us quite a turn," said Larena looking worried at her daughter.

Galinda kept staring at Elphaba. This whole thing had confusified the blonde woman to her core. Surely Elphaba had only kissed her to wake her up and not because she wanted to? Yes, she did it out of necessity. But for some reason, Galinda's heart thumped a million times louder and her stomach did flip-flops every time the green girl and her exchanged glances.

"Well," said Elphaba finally, "something had to wake you up. Master Boq over there was all set to kiss you when you fainted but Crope and Tibbett suggested me. I assure you it was not enjoyable."

Galinda still gaped at her, catching her breath, and Elphaba smirked.

"Though, your expression," Elphaba looked at the rest of the people who were giving her horrified looks," and everyone else's is quite funny."

Galinda now looked at Sir Chuffrey, who seemed like he could care less about what was going on and he just wanted to get home. Galinda swallowed and with the help of her mother stood back up. After a moment, she felt no dizziness or nausea and she told the priest that he could proceed.

"It's always those tight shoes," remarked Nanny to Elphaba's younger sister Nessarose who sat in the second row in her wheelchair with a pretty pink dress on, "Promise me Nessie that you will never wear tight heels."

To that remark, Nessarose just smiled and shook her pretty pale brown locks.

"She looks very beautiful, doesn't she?" said Nessa looking at Galinda as the wedding started again.

Nanny bit her lip and then leaned close to Nessa, "But everything looks beautiful next to her husband to be," pointed out the older woman. Nessa had no comment, for it was true.

The wedding went on as planned, no more fainting spells or comments from the peanut gallery.

"And do you, Galinda Upland take Sir William Chuffrey to be your lawfully wedded husband?" asked the priest turning to Galinda.

Galinda swallowed and looked at Chuffrey, knowing her fate was sealed with the next two words she spoke, "I do." Chuffrey put the gold wedding band on her left hand next to the sparkling diamond ring.

"Then I now pronounce you husband and wife, Sir and Lady Chuffrey. You may kiss the bride."

Galinda closed her eyes and waited for Chuffrey's lips to touch her own. Once she felt them she opened her eyes for a moment, he was barely touching her. Galinda guessed it was because he probably didn't want her to faint again. They pulled away from each other and linked arms. The walk back down the aisle was a complete blur to Galinda, as was the reception. She remembered smiling warmly at faces she did not recognize and laughing with her group of friends from Shiz. But the reception ended all too soon, and in a matter of what seemed like seconds Galinda and Chuffrey were on their way to Restwater to stay at Mockbeggar Hall.

As they pulled up Galinda could not help but marvel at the stone architecture of the mansion. It was painted beautifully white with columns on each side of the large glass doors, and etchings carved into every inch of space on the outside. The carriage stopped and the footmen helped Galinda out, still in her wedding dress. Chuffrey got out by himself and started walking towards the house. Galinda followed behind him, and the footmen were left to carry the luggage inside.

Chuffrey held a door open for her, and Galinda stepped inside the threshold.

To say that it was marvelous was an understatement, it was the most gorgeous and godly interior of a house Galinda had ever seen.

But she did not have much time to admire it for Chuffrey entered, looked around, and then started walking up the steps.

"Follow me," he commanded.

Galinda passed through dark hallways lit by lanterns and candles as she followed Chuffrey into the farthest room from the main lobby of the house. The decorated wooden doors were parted and shut as soon as the couple was in the room.

Now alone with Chuffrey, Galinda felt her fear flood back into her body. Her breathing slowed and she stood near the door while Chuffrey sat on the bed.

"I suppose you have been made aware of your duties," his voice came after a moment.

Galinda nodded and he continued now looking at her.

"You will produce me an heir, Galinda one way or another. I must have an heir and he must come from your womb, do you understand this?"

She nodded and he motioned for her to come close to him. She did, slowly and soon she was standing in front of him.

Galinda's breath came in shaking quiet gasps as she turned around at his command and William undid the strings of her corset. The bodice now fell to the floor and Galinda felt her skirt fall as well.

"Turn towards me," said William softly. Galinda turned, now fully naked the candle light in the room gleaming off of her pale skin.

He put his wrinkled hand on her face, almost as if as an apology. That's the only way Galinda could describe his way of looking at her was right now. It was almost if he was apologizing for what was to come next.

He made his way over to the other side of the bed and undressed himself as Galinda slid herself underneath the covers, and took deep breaths.

Chuffrey came back into bed, now naked as well. He glanced at her, "I am sorry it has to be like this, but I desperately need an heir." Then he climbed on top of her.

Sounds of shrieks, screams, moans, and crying came next and they were not from pleasure at all. The guards at the lobby cringed at the painful cries and out bursts, as did the rest of servants who pitied the young woman who was in bed with Sir Chuffrey. He was not known for a kind and caring nature in bed.

Finally after a while the screams diminished to quiet whimpers, and then the house went quiet.

* * *

Chuffrey had now been asleep for hours while Galinda lay there still shaking and frozen from the pain. The pain had lessened now of course, but it was a dull and sometimes sharp aching that kept her up. And the fact that her mind was still reeling from what she had just experienced. Elphaba had been wrong, oh so very wrong. Galinda had spent every moment of that… experience fighting back tears and screams. It was not pleasurable at all. It was painful, painful beyond anything Galinda had ever gone through.

Galinda put a hand to her heart and closed her eyes, gulping as she tried to catch her breath. The images of Chuffrey on top of her plagued her and her eyes flew open again. She knew that she would not sleep tonight, or maybe ever again. She could only hope that she was now pregnant and that is was a boy.

As Galinda felt the blood running between her thighs, she didn't even want to think of what would happen next if she weren't pregnant.

**So this wasn't that bad... I tried to make it as vague as possible. But I do hope I didn't offend anyone or scare them off. If you did skip it, the moral is that Chuffrey is MEAN and EVIL and will do anything to get a son. Which is what Georgania's husband did as well. If you want to know more about her, just PM me. I've been obsessed with the movie for like a week now. Next chapter should be up shortly. Any suggestions?**

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	5. Letters

Chapter Five:

The next morning Galinda woke up to the other side of the bed being empty. Sir Chuffrey had already gotten up and went out hunting, the maids told Galinda when they got her dressed and removed the bloody sheets.

Glinda found on her dresser a note that he had left saying:

My dear Galinda,

I'm sorry about last night but I never do anything without a purpose. You will thank me later when we have a son to call our own. As for now, feel free to roam around the grounds, I hope you find everything pleasing.

Yours,

William Chuffrey

* * *

Galinda put the note down and adjusted the petite white chiffon dress that was decorated with a black sash on her slim body in the mirror. Her golden hair was nicely curled to one side and she wore a black-feathered hat.

She was just pulling on her black gloves after her strolls around the house as a knock came on her door.

"Mail, Lady Chuffrey," said the maid as she held out a letter addressed to "Lady Chuffrey of Mockbeggar Hall."

Galinda took it, thanked her, and sat down at her desk to read the letter.

It said:

* * *

My dearest Galinda,

I know we saw each other yesterday at your wedding, and we probably saw and tasted more of each other than either of us wanted to but I thought I would be able to talk to you in person and then I found that you were going to Restwater. So I decided to write. If you haven't guessed who this is already, I have deeply mistrusted your judgment and lack of brains. It's Miss Elphaba Thropp if you still haven't guessed. My sister is supposedly moving in today. I must inquire how you are faring? No more fainting spells, I hope.

Till your reply,

Elphaba Thropp

Galinda smiled fondly as she got out a piece of parchment and began writing.

My dearest Elphaba,

How wonderful it is to here from you! And to tell you the truth, I did know that it was you who was writing to me. I'm not that blonde. Things here at Mockbeggar are quite… lovely. It's very peaceful here. Today I took a stroll around the house, and found a library filled with the biggest books I've ever seen. You would have stayed in there for years! The house is lovely as well. It's so much better than the dorms at Shiz. How are your classes going? Are you still working with Doctor Dillamond? I cannot wait to attend my very first social party, which is this Saturday! My maids are already giving me dresses to try on and pick at my choosing.

Looking forward to your response,

Lady Galinda Chuffrey

* * *

The next letter came next week, on that Monday.

My dear Galinda,

So sorry for the late response I had so much to do with work and studying. Yes, I am still working with Doctor Dillamond. He is getting so close to the connection between Animals and animals that I've been in his lab every single day for most of the night hours for the past week. I cannot wait to tell you what our findings are. Can you imagine a world where all Animals and animals can talk? It makes me excited just thinking about it. Anyways I'm glad you like your house, and you wouldn't want to come in our dorm at all. Everything has to be just perfect for my sister. I'm starting to remember why I left home in the first place. I hope you have fun at your party, don't drink too much champagne or you'll throw up.

Yours,

Elphaba Thropp

* * *

My Dear Miss Elphaba,

My party went just fine thank you. It was actually quite boring to talk to politicians all night. They have very little to say except when they start talking about themselves. I've gotten quite settled into Mockbeggar now. We have a staff of nearly 50 servants, about 30 more than my house did back in Frottica. I'm sorry I haven't gotten back to you since January, this month, which is February in case you have lost all track of time spending every waking moment in the lab, has been crazy with parties and gatherings and such. I haven't really been home yet. I promised Momsy and Popsicle that I would visit as soon as I could but I have been so busy.

Also I have great news. Chuffrey and I are expecting a child due next September!

Yours Truly,

Lady Galinda Chuffrey

* * *

Galinda,

That was fast I must say, and congrats on expecting a child. I do hope that you don't spoil him/her before she/he is even born. Spoiled children are brats and if your kid is a brat I will be very disappointed in you on your parenting skills. I told our friends of your exciting news and everyone was delighted and sends their love and prayers. Though I do have to tell you that Master Boq's face was quite funny to see when he inquired how you were and I replied with 'she's pregnant'. He trotted off quite disappointed and muttering to himself… I thought it was funny but then again I have a dry sense of humor as you well know. Well, my sweet I'm sorry but I don't have anything further to say to you. Morrible's ruling our lives, I'm speaking out for Animals, and nothing is the same without you.

Yours,

Elphaba

* * *

Miss Elphaba The Delirious,

I suddenly recalled the first time we spoke before I wrote this letter and thought it would be funny to put your name as the honorific I gave you a few months ago. Or should I call you the maid of horror instead? The photographer dropped off the pictures from the wedding today and wished me well with my unborn child. I must say, Elphie even though I have only been pregnant for what three months now, I feel so different. I'm exhausted after doing the littlest things. It is quite bothersome. My mother came today, and she fussed over me saying how I had to rest and whatnot. I think sometime next week I shall take a visit to Shiz and see you all. I heard that Ama Clutch has stayed at Shiz and is helping you, Nessa, and Nanny. You mustn't laugh at me though; I've gotten a bit… dare I say the word, chubby from the pregnancy. You must tell Crope and Tibbett that I will have their necks if they say one word about my weight while I am there!

I miss you all terribly; being cooped up in this big house all alone is driving me mad.

Yours,

Galinda

* * *

Galinda,

Doctor Dillamond was murdered. Ama Clutch is dying. Come as quickly as you can.

Yours,

E

**So I've done with whole letter chapter thing in a real meaning not fanfiction book I did and everyone loved the idea so I decided to do it for this one. Also it's a great way to cover several months in a story with telling details but not dragging it out. Hope you all enjoyed. Chapter Six is very sad with two upsetting things happening almost at once. I will say no more...**

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	6. Sad Happenings

Chapter Six:

Despite protests from Chuffrey and her mother, at now four months pregnant Galinda Chuffrey got a carriage and made her way to Shiz University. Chuffrey would not allow her to go alone, so he came with her.

The couple had rarely seen each other in the past months since their wedding. Chuffrey had been away on business, and Galinda had been at home finding activities to keep herself busy. She had taken up sewing, and had tried and failed at cooking.

During the carriage ride, her husband who was in all honesty trying to comfort her could not console Galinda.

Sniffling she turned her head towards the window and placed her hands on her small but still round stomach. Her silk rose-colored dress was loose enough so that she could move in it and she wore a brimmed white hat. Her black scarf hung around her neck and completed the outfit. No one could even tell, by the length of the gown, that Galinda was wearing flats instead of heels because of her feet swelling.

"Were you close to your Ama?" asked Chuffrey as they entered the Emerald City. Silence filled the air for a moment. This was the first real conversation the wife and husband had ever had together.

"She raised me since I was nine. She was like a mother to me. A crazy eccentric mother who was a pain sometimes but a mother nonetheless," Galinda wiped her eyes with her hanky.

"And Doctor Dillamond?" Galinda was quite surprised that Chuffrey was showing an interest in her few months as a student at Shiz.

Galinda waved the subject of him away with her hand, "Elphie knew him more than I did. She's crushed, Chuffrey. Apparently she went into shock when she heard and has only spoken to me since then."

"You will be careful, won't you? I'm worried how Ama Clutch will react if she is dying and you and the baby could be in danger and-"

Galinda cut him off with a harsh glare and her blue eyes flashing in anger, "How could you say that? My Ama wouldn't hurt a fly!" The carriage stopped and they noticed that they were at Shiz.

Galinda looked at Chuffrey one last time before she disembarked from the carriage, "And why am I getting the strange impression that all you care about is this baby and not me?"

She turned around without another word and was assisted to the ground by her footmen.

Chuffrey merely shook his head at her and left the carriage as well.

Madame Morrible was waiting right there to greet them. Dressed in a deep black gown with her wild hair drawing attention to her, she grasped hands with Galinda, expressed her sympathy for Ama Clutch and her joy for the baby.

"She is in the infirmary," said Madame Morrible as she led the couple with Grommetik behind them to the wing, "and only you and your husband are allowed to see her. I felt as if other visitors should come she'd get quite agitated and then it would be…upsetting for you to see her like that."

The nurse opened the door for them, and Galinda let go of Chuffrey's hand as she went inside. Chuffrey stayed outside, saying that he would be right there if she needed him.

Galinda moved slowly towards the figure of her ailing caregiver, and tried to keep back the tears. The gray tinted stained glass windows seemed to only enhance Galinda's sad, dreary mood. She pulled back the white curtain that gave her privacy and sat down slowly on the edge of the bed. With a lump in her throat, Galinda smoothed out the baby pink knitted sheets and kept her tears at bay. There would be plenty of time for crying afterwards.

"Can I ask her one thing before you talk to her?" The question threw Galinda off guard and she whirled around to see who the speaker was.

"Who-" but as soon as Galinda recognized the green skin the question was irrelevant, "Elphie, what are you doing in here? Morrible said that no one else was allowed in here besides Chuffrey and myself."

The green woman was dressed in all black, with black-fringed gloves on her hands. She walked slowly towards the bed, almost trance-like, "I needed to ask her what happened. I need to know for sure if that tic tok machine killed Dillamond."

She reached the bed, and Galinda reached out a hand and grasped Elphaba's frayed gloved hand.

"Elphie, I think you're being ridiculous… Ama Clutch is dying, she won't remember a thing."

"That's not true," snapped Elphaba, "The dying remember the things in life that troubled them, their last attempt to solve the mysteries of their deaths and or lives. She'll remember."

At this Ama Clutch opened her pale eyes and looked around wildly. Then her gaze stopped on Galinda's face, and her bony hand clasped Galinda's hard.

"My sweet Galinda, look at you darling…" said Ama Clutch softly and then she turned her head sharply to the left, "No you stupid table, I wasn't talking to you!"

Galinda felt whatever hope she had left in her that had been wishing that her Ama was getting better diminish into oblivion. Her heart sank as her Ama raved on to the 'table' that was supposedly talking to her.

"You're pregnant," noticed Ama Clutch once she had snapped out of her rant. Galinda nodded and she bit her lip as she felt the water rise up in her eyes.

"It'll be good for you, Galinda. Oh and look Elphaba's here too!" She smiled as best she could at the green woman who stared at her intently.

"Ama Clutch," Elphaba spoke up now and she could sense that the old woman was going, "Tell me this now before you go. Who killed Doctor Dillamond?  
Was it Grommetik?"

Elphaba's voice was on the verge of desperation and Galinda noticed she grew rigid as she waited for an answer.

"You already know who did it, duckies. That tic tok thing never liked me anyways or the poor Doctor," Ama Clutch said with a slight huff. Galinda now had tears pooled in her crystal blue eyes.

"Ama Clutch, I am so sorry, so, so sorry for everything! I wish that I could save you," Galinda cried mournfully and Ama Clutch knew that she meant every word.

"Don't' worry about me, my dear Galinda. I'd worry about yourself if I were you."

Ama Clutch's hand lost some of its strength and the elderly woman closed her eyes for a moment and smiled.

"You hear that, Galinda dear? It's the Wind coming to take me away. Now don't you cry, I have lived a long and happy life."

But Galinda had begun to cry, and she felt comforted when Elphaba put a strong hand on her shoulder. The blonde leaned on Elphaba's angular shoulder, and Elphaba was almost hit by the brim of her hat.

Galinda held her caregiver's hands until she breathed no more and then heartbreaking cries were heard from the blonde's mouth.

Elphaba of course remained stoic and silent but she did wrap her arms around Galinda's shaking body.

"It'll be alright, Galinda. Don't cry," stated Elphaba her voice thick with some sort of emotion that was not sadness, it was more like determination.

Galinda's tears finally came to a cease and she leaned on Elphaba while they sat on the bed for support.

"I really am going to miss her," whispered Galinda tearfully as she blew her nose in her hanky.

Suddenly Galinda took a sharp intake of breath, and pressed a hand to her stomach as if in pain.

"Galinda!" snapped Elphaba worriedly as the blonde gave out a cry of pain.

She staggered off the bed, breathing heavily and grasping Elphaba's hand as if it was her last life connection. Slowly she lifted up her rose colored skirt to find blood flowing down her legs. At the sight of it, Galinda nearly shrieked and she collapsed against Elphaba in a panic.

"Galinda, calm down, just breathe… it will be alright," rushed out Elphaba and her eyes widened in fear as the blood now pooled at the floor and at the hem of Galinda's dress. As for the blonde woman she clutched onto Elphaba like she was dying and started sobbing uncontrollably when she felt something slip between her bloody legs. She knew in an instant that it was the baby, and she buried her head into Elphaba's chest, begging her to never let go.

Suddenly Galinda felt Elphaba's hand under her chin and teary-eyed she was forced to look into the green woman's eyes. Still hiccupping and crying, Elphaba pitied her friend. She knew that Galinda's whole life had been ruined in this one moment, and she had no one to fix it for her. But Elphaba hated seeing Galinda cry, and even more so when she was heart-breakingly sobbing.

So Elphaba kissed Galinda fully on the lips to make the tears and the hurt go away, at least for the little time they had together before Morrible and Chuffrey came barging in.

Those precious moments had more of an impact on Galinda than Elphaba would ever realize they did.

**This was a really sad chapter. Really, really sad. I actually almost started crying when I was writing this. How do you all think Chuffrey will react to this? Elphaba? Poor Galinda, we fanfictioners just love to torture her. Also I was thinking of changing the title of this to "So Close Still So Far". What do you think? Like?**

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	7. Daze

Chapter Seven:

When Sir Chuffrey and Morrible rushed into the infirmary after hearing screaming from Galinda, they were shocked to say the least at the scene before them. There was Galinda, the bottom half of her dress soaked in crimson blood and it seeped on the floor, Ama Clutch was dead with her skin as pale as a sheet and her body as still as the grave, and Elphaba and the blonde were locked in a fiery display of passion with their lips hungry for more of each other.

"Galinda, what in Oz is going on here?" exploded Chuffrey grabbing his wife's wrist forcefully and tearing her away from Elphaba.

"William, I- I," stuttered the blonde as he tightened his grip on her wrist. But Chuffrey's gaze had gone downwards. The action of moving Galinda exposed the bloody mess on the floor and after seeing it, Morrible called for the nurse and had it cleaned up. Afterwards the nurse got some fluids into the blonde and had her resting on a cot in the infirmary. Ama Clutch's body had been disposed of, along with Galinda's baby. They were to be buried in the Emerald City graveyard.

Once she was settled, and no longer hysterical Galinda asked the nurse how this could have happened.

"It was a simple miscarriage, Lady Chuffrey," answered the nurse briskly, "Sometimes there is no cause." The nurse glanced at her, and seeing the tears that were pooling in the young woman's eyes, she sighed and gave a better explanation, "Shock will do it sometimes. But I doubt there was anything you nor Miss Thropp over there could have done to save the poor soul."

"Can it happen again?" snapped Chuffrey's infuriated voice from the other corner of the wing. He had his back turned towards the window and he hadn't said a word to Galinda since he saw what had happened a few hours ago. Elphaba, who was sitting on the edge of the bed with Galinda, glared at him.

"If it does, do you really want to put Galinda through this again? Look at her you bastard, she's devastated!" yelled Elphaba heatedly.

"Elphie," warned Galinda quietly and she looked down at her now empty stomach mournfully and repressed the urge to cry.

Chuffrey now moved quite quickly towards Elphaba in a angry rage and got very close to her face, "She didn't look that devastated when you two were locking lips," he hissed softly so that only Elphaba heard.

Elphaba looked at him, more like glared at him reproachfully and her black eyebrows were slanted in anger. She seemed to be seething from the inside and out. She grew still with irritation.

Galinda sighed slowly as she glanced up at the two of them and was not comforted by the fact that they seemed to be having a staring contest.

"Both of you stop it," she said lifelessly as she leaned back and her head hit the soft pillow. Galinda closed her eyes and tried hard to get everything out of her mind that had just happened but it was not going away. To her horror, her memories of what happened were getting stronger and soon she felt as if she could feel the baby slip out of her over and over again.

Galinda sat up in a jolt and put a hand to her heart, and she shook her head as she calmed herself.

"Are you alright, darling?" asked the nurse worriedly as she grasped Galinda's back as the woman sat up all too quickly.

"Mhm," Galinda said softly and her gaze was trained on the end of the bed.

She seemed to be shocked to her core, and to tell the truth she was. Losing the baby had been a horrible experience, but having to deal with Chuffrey afterwards was becoming an even more horrific task as the hours passed by.

Finally Chuffrey broke eye contact with Elphaba, and with an irritated sigh just up and left the room without another word.

Galinda could feel her own life spinning out of control. Her husband hated her, her parents had no idea what happened, and her best friend had just kissed her. Galinda had no idea what was right or wrong. Her head felt dizzy just trying to figure it out.

"It will be alright Lady Chuffrey," said Madame Morrible who had now returned from taking care of business with the medics, "Your husband is just frustrated. This is no easy thing for any couple to recover from," the head bowed her head down in sympathy.

"Miss Thropp, I would like to see you in my office when Lady Chuffrey leaves if you don't mind," said the Head curtly and she nodded off as she left Elphaba and Galinda to themselves. The nurse followed after making sure Galinda's blood pressure was better.

"Elphie…" started Galinda, "Please don't be mad at me, too. I can't have the two people that I care about most be mad at me."

Elphaba snapped her head around to stare at Galinda, "You actually care about him?" she seethed, her voice growing louder, "Galinda, how could you- why would you? He treats you like you're scum, like you're nothing when really you are the most amazing and treasured person anyone should ever have the damn honor to meet!"

Seeing Elphaba this heated and emotional made Galinda go quiet.

"He has a right to be mad at me, at both of us… for how we acted," Galinda's eyes shifted to look at Elphaba's.

"Why did you do it?" asked the blonde curiously.

Elphaba never blinked, "Why not?"

"That's not an answer!"

"And that is not a question!" retorted the green girl.

The young women stared at each other in silence for a bit.

"I don't know why I did it," said the green one bitterly as she turned her head away from Galinda, somehow ashamed to look at her.

"Do you regret it?" Galinda's small question made Elphaba freeze.

"I don't know," said Elphaba harshly as she got up hurriedly and suddenly. She headed for the door without another word.

But just as she was about to open the doors, they opened by themselves and in came their group of friends.

"Madame Morrible just told us what happened," said Fiyero as he came strolling in the infirmary with Boq, Avaric, Nessa, Nanny, Crope, and Tibbett.

"Are you alright, Miss Galinda?" asked Boq as he rushed over to her and kissed her hand in affection. She was too tired to protest the gesture.

"I'm alright, all things considered," said Galinda softly as she ran a hand through her blonde hair. Her gaze was stuck on Elphaba who had turned to let the group by but was now planning to leave.

"Hey, Elphaba," called Nessa as she noticed this, "Don't leave us just yet. We promise we'll leave soon so Galinda can rest but we just wanted to see her before she goes back home" Nessa was wheeled over to Galinda by Nanny and introduced herself, "I'm Nessarose, Elphaba's younger sister and I am so sorry for what happened. But, if this helps the Unnamed God's doings are not always clear but they always have a positive outcome in the long run," said Nessa to Galinda.

Crope looked at Tibbett and they snorted at the latest remark by the youngest Thropp. "Nessa, will you be quiet with your preaching, not everyone here believes in the Unnamed God, and I doubt Galinda does," said Avaric with a roll of his eyes.

Galinda saw Nessa's face fall, and the blonde looked at the younger girl with gracious poise, "Thank you, Nessa. That does make me feel better."

Galinda watched as Elphaba slowly made her way back to the bed where Galinda sat in. She stood apart from the rest of the friends, and kept quiet.

"So are you planning to go back home… after what happened we wouldn't be surprised if you would," said Fiyero hesitantly.

Galinda sighed, "I don't know. We probably will, Chuffrey will want to go home."

"Where is he?" piped up Boq with a little bit of jealousy seeped into his voice.

"Off somewhere I suppose. He went to go mull things over," said Galinda quickly before Elphaba could say anything for she had her lips parted.

"We all are really sorry, Galinda," said Boq. Galinda smiled at her group of friends who were crowded around her. It was comforting to know that they truly cared about her.

For right now, Galinda conversed with her friends and felt more and more comforted by the minute. She couldn't say the same for how she would feel tonight when she was alone with her angry husband…

**Thoughts? Will upload more soon.**

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	8. Consequences

Chapter Eight:

"I will not tolerate what happened in there, Galinda," said Chuffrey as soon as Galinda was settled in the carriage that was to take them to a hotel in the Emerald City. Galinda stayed silent as she adjusted her fur wrapping that kept her hands warm. Morrible had had her footmen go out and get her new clothes to wear and Galinda was now wearing a stitched black dress with quarter length sleeves that made her look even prettier and healthier than she felt. She put a hand to her temple and leaned on it, her blonde hair falling to that side.

"Galinda are you even listening to me?" shouted Chuffrey slamming a hand down on the seat.

Galinda was ignoring him purposely. She didn't want to talk to him; she just wanted to sleep. It had been a day since the miscarriage and Galinda had spent the whole day yesterday resting in the infirmary. Then Chuffrey had called for a carriage after the nurse had cleared her. Galinda could tell that Chuffrey just wanted to get out of the University.

"Sure," said Galinda as she closed her eyes for a moment. She felt exhausted, and drained. Walking was strenuous effort as was paying attention. It was as if she was coming back from a sickly disease, she felt broken.

"Galinda," snapped Chuffrey for the final time. It brought the young wife out of her daydream and she sat up slowly, trying to focus.

Chuffrey leaned forward in the bumping carriage and looked her coldly in the eye.

"You are never to see that-that green witch again, do you understand me!"

Galinda now gained some attention as she held herself upright with her hands firmly on the cushion of the seats.

"A witch? Elphaba is not a witch, Chuffrey! What kind of lies has Madame Morrible been feeding to you? And why would you believe her over me anyways? I know Elphie better and more than she does!"

The effort of yelling at him was making Galinda's head spin and her heart hurt. How could he say those things about her best friend?

"Morrible told me that Miss Thropp has been taking sorcery classes on top of Life Sciences, and that she is well beyond extraordinary in the craft. She is beyond advanced with her training in the sciences apparently only increasing her talent. She knows well how to bewitch someone, and how to manipulate things at her will and-"

Galinda cut him off coldly, "You think she bewitched me? That is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard!" Glinda's voice rose to a shriek, "Elphaba would never do such a thing!"

"That is the only explanation I believe as to why I found you and her kissing like you two were lovers!" Chuffrey's voice grew low, and there was a minute of silence as the words sunk in.

Chuffrey's accusation made Galinda reel back and she grew still. She stared at him, and he stared at her. Their eyes never left each other's faces.

"Would you care to explain why you were kissing her?" her husband asked, almost mocking her.

Galinda bit her lip, furious and felt like she was going to burst into tears.

"She kissed me first," said Galinda as she fidgeted with her hands in her fur wrapping.

"But you didn't pull away, why?"

Her eyes snapped up and met his for a moment.

Galinda would not give him the satisfaction that Elphaba was a witch, she would not give into that. There was no way that his suggestion was true, it was a lie. So instead, she told him the truth.

"I love her."

Chuffrey was silent for a while after that. His hands were clenched into shaking fists and he stared out the window with his jaw tight.

Not another word was spoken on the carriage ride until they reached the hotel. Even then they were silent as they took an elevator up to their private suite, got their bags unpacked, and settled into the gold and emerald green room. Everything in the suite was green and gold, the pillow, the couches, even the furniture was.

The couple stayed silent to each other as the staff member closed the door as soon as they were settled. Galinda sat down at the bureau while Chuffrey leaned against the end of the bed in stirring silence.

"You love that- that thing?" her husband's voice was full of some kind of emotion and Galinda guessed it was disgust.

"I do," answered Galinda sharply after a moment.

"I will not stand for my wife cheating on me with some green freak of nature!" shouted Chuffrey as he pushed himself off the bed and came towards Galinda.

Galinda whirled around at him and clutched the back of the chair in fright.

"You. Will. Never. See. Her. Again," hissed Chuffrey as he slapped Galinda hard across the face and pushed the chair over with his hands. Galinda crumbled to the floor, holding her stinging cheek as she started to cry.

"You cannot make me!" shouted back Galinda looking at him fiercely.

Chuffrey stood still for a moment while Galinda caught her breath. His whole body seemed to be shaking in anger.

Suddenly his hands reached out and grabbed the collar of her dress, pulling her to her feet roughly and choking her.

Galinda immediately put her hands on his, trying to pry his grip off but it was no use. His grip tightened and Galinda felt her air supply decrease.

Her breath came in rasped gasps, and her lungs were beginning to fail her.

"Let…" she took a limited and painful breath, " go," she hoarsely managed to whisper as the stitching on her collar was tearing away from the dress.

The blonde's vision became blurred and Galinda was terrified. Fear took over her body and soon she was shaking from lack of oxygen. She surely thought she was going to die.

Then the man's grip loosened and Galinda fell on the ground, gasping and grabbing at her neck. She leaned over as the nausea passed, and looked back up at Chuffrey with fearful eyes. Her hands remained grasping at her now ripped collar and she slowly regained control of her breathing.

He stared down at her with cold hard anger seated in his eyes.

"If I hear or see that you are speaking or communicating with her in any way, shape or form I will make your life a living hell." He crouched down next to her and put a hand to her neck lovingly.

"You are my wife," he said softly, "And you will obey me."

Galinda's breathing came as shudders and Chuffrey put both of his hands on Galinda forcefully. He forced her to lie back on the ground as he tore off her dress.

Galinda screamed, begging someone to help her but Chuffrey covered her mouth with his hand when she started screaming out Elphaba's name for help.

"Your lover can't help you now, my sweet," whispered Chuffrey menacingly as he kissed her hard.

The regular silence of the night was cut by Galinda's sheer agonizing screeches as her husband forced himself on her.

After it was done, Galinda laid there helplessly crying and only thinking of one person and why in Oz her Elphie wouldn't come and save her…

**I hate Chuffrey, I really do. I know everyone else does too, but I love making him the bad guy. Anyways, I promise some chapters in the near future will be happy. Maybe...**

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	9. Holding On

Chapter Nine:

Dear Elphie,

I am most sorry for not getting the chance to say goodbye to you. Chuffrey and I have been residing at a wonderful hotel and-

Galinda stopped writing here. She glanced at the trash bin next to her desk at the numerous crumpled letters she had already tried to write to Elphaba. No matter how hard she tried, Galinda couldn't find the right words to explain her situation to Elphaba without lying to her or sounding horribly fake and cheery. She couldn't just come out and say what had happened a few days ago when she had gotten to the hotel after the miscarriage. She couldn't tell Elphaba that she could never see her again. Galinda yearned to see Elphaba, at least one more time, just so that she could force her features and characteristics into her mind so that she could never forget her.

Galinda sighed, and put her pen down.

She hadn't had a moments rest since they got to the hotel. Chuffrey had now become obsessively explosive and angry at every little thing. He exploded at a poor bellboy who had switched Galinda's towels with Chuffrey's.

While Galinda sat trying to write, Chuffrey was downstairs in the lobby of the Florinthwaite Club badgering the front deskman making sure that the ballroom was all set for tonight's ball. It was the first ball that Chuffrey and Galinda would be presenting as husband and wife, and Chuffrey was too infuriated to let anything slide by him.

At the thought of her husband, Galinda crumpled up the letter, threw it in the trash, and started another one.

Dear Elphaba,

Did you really mean what you said, when everyone had left… that you didn't know if you regretted kissing me or not? It has been driving me mad since you said that. I can't help but think that you are angry with me. Or maybe you are angrier with Chuffrey than you are with me. Well, none of that matters because Chuffrey has forbade me to-

Galinda paused, her pen mid air. This was turning out to be more of a therapeutic effort than writing a letter to her friend. She folded up the paper harshly and left it on the bureau as her door opened.

"Galinda, darling!" called out her mother worriedly as she rushed in the room and wrapped her arms around her daughter, "Your father and I just heard what happened at Shiz, and oh darling I am so sorry about… well everything. It must have been so horrific for you, is there anything I can do to help?"

Larena's blue eyes looked into her daughter's as she hugged her.

"No, I'm doing fine Mother," lied Galinda as she tucked a loose curl behind her ear, something she always did when she was not telling the truth.

Larena let go of her daughter and knelt down in front of her in a gold and white tight dress, "I know you're lying."

Galinda sighed, and put a hand to her chin, "Mother I am fine…" Galinda stopped, thinking that maybe her mother would understand what she was going through, give her some advice on how to deal with Chuffrey.

"Well I mean there are a couple of things that I want to ask you something about…" Galinda paused waiting for her mother's reaction.

Her mother's gaze turned more concerned, "Anything dearie."

But just as Galinda was about to speak the door burst open, and in barged Chuffrey.

"Galinda, Larena," he greeted coldly as he walked right past them, "It's nearly four, Galinda you should get ready for the ball," and into the next room where he slammed the door behind him.

Larena looked at Galinda who sighed and ran a hand through her hair.

"Galinda," her mother's voice was gentle but underlying an emotion of worry.

"It's nothing, never-mind Mother," she got up and looked at her mother, "Help me get dressed?"

Soon enough Galinda was dressed to the nines in a dark blue form-fitting gown that cut in a 'V' to show enough acceptable cleavage. Her hair was in loose bouncy curls, thanks to her mother, and her heels were black.

She faced the mirror with her mother behind her, and placed a hand to her hair.

"How do I look?"

Larena's eyes snapped up, "Beautiful."

Galinda turned her head around, "You look sad," she remarked.

In truth, Larena did look sad. She was wondering if this had all gone horribly wrong. Galinda, in her eyes, didn't look happy. Galinda looked miserable, putting on a brave face for her mother but Larena figured Galinda would cry in the corner when she left.

Larena regained a smile on her face, a watery and fake one at that but a smile nonetheless.

"I'm just worried about you! I've missed you, Galinda," Larena grasped her daughter's hand and hugged her.

Galinda slowly hugged her back, "I love you, Momsy."

"I love you too, Galinda-kins," said her mother as she kissed her forehead, and pulled away, the knot in her throat heavy.

Chuffrey chose to come out of his room now dressed in his suit. He took one look at Galinda and said gruffly and with no emotion, "You look nice. I'll be waiting on the staircase," and then left.

For some reason, once he left the room, Galinda felt tears well up in her eyes. She blinked rapidly, and dabbed a hanker-chief at her eyes.

"Galinda, oh Galinda come here," said her mother as soon as she saw the tears. Galinda started crying now, not even concealing it, and she fell into her mother's arms.

"He hates me, he hates me, he hates me for losing the baby and then-" sobbed Galinda as she tightened her grip around her mother, "the things he does to me at night, oh Mother I don't want to be married anymore. I think I'll die if I do!"

Larena shed tears as she listened to her daughter explain the details, and could only hug her tighter with each gruesome example.

"I'm so sorry, Galinda, I'm so sorry but- there is just no such thing of a wife and a husband separating. I would if I could darling, I really would if I could," whispered Larena tearfully, feeling horrified with herself that she could do nothing for her hopeless daughter.

Finally both mother and daughter stopped crying and put on fake smiles as they took their places on the staircase for the ball. As Galinda and William made their way into the golden ballroom, Galinda felt empty and broken. Still she kept smiling as the crowds cheered for her. No one but her mother knew on the inside that she was breaking down.

The band started up, playing a lively tune as couples began to dance in whirls of different colors. Chuffrey left Galinda's side, saying he was going to get a brandy and she was left alone. Her mother stood a ways back and sipped on her glass of champagne, watching her daughter with a broken heart.

Suddenly an older man with gray hair and a gray and black striped suit appeared in front of Galinda with two Gale Force guards surrounding him.

"Lady Chuffrey," he said as he kissed her hand, "I am the Great and Powerful Wizard of Oz."

Galinda gaped at him for a moment, forgetting her manners and then she managed to produce a flimsy curtsey for him in her tight dress.

He chuckled, "That wasn't necessary but thank you."

"Your Ozness, I am so happy that you came here tonight, but may I ask why you are here?" stuttered Galinda looking at the old man. He looked very nice and sweet with that kind of old fashioned look about him. He had very nice brown eyes just like Elphaba's. Galinda cringed and felt a lump in her throat form as she looked at the Wizard's eyes, which looked exactly like Elphaba's. Galinda couldn't think about her now, not ever again.

"I came to talk to you about a partnership," said the Wizard, "I want you to be a pubic figure for Oz. With your youth and beauty I think that you will easily be able to inspire hope and goodness to our great Land of Oz, and not to mention the sorcery classes that come with the offer."

Galinda couldn't believe her ears, a chance to work with the Wizard! Elphaba would have been as jealous as anything if she had heard.

Just then Galinda's eyes caught the figure of her husband and anger grew up inside of her. He was flirting in a corner with some other blonde woman, touching places on her body with his hand that were surely not acceptable in public. For some reason she felt betrayed. He was supposed to be her husband and if she couldn't cheat on him why should he be able to cheat on her?

"So what do you say?" asked the Wizard with a smile.

Galinda's eyes returned back to the old man and she smiled, "I accept."

The rest of the ball was a blur to Galinda who could not keep her eyes off of her roaming husband. When he did not come to their room at all during the night Galinda expected the worse and that he was sleeping with one of those girls. But she felt quite happy about it. She was glad that he would leave her alone for one night.

Instead of sleeping Galinda sat up and wrote a letter to Elphaba, and this one she did send.

Dear Elphaba,

I cannot explain nor deny what happened between us but I wanted you to know that I will accept whatever you feel is right for you. I am more than content with living with the basic knowledge that you do not have the same feelings for me. I will not be lied to, though as you well know. But I must confess that Chuffrey had forbidden me to never see you again. But if you do return my feelings then let me assure you that I will stop at nothing to be with you.

I promise.

As for things that are going on with me, tonight Chuffrey and I had our first ball and I met the Wizard! He wants me to work with him and become a public figure! I hope you're proud of me…

Until we speak again,

Galinda Chuffrey

In reply, Galinda got a letter from Nessarose two weeks later.

Dear Galinda,

I am sorry to hear that whatever happened between you and my sister ended in a battle of feelings but let me tell you that Elphaba is not one for them. I wrote back to tell you that Elphaba has gone missing. She went to see the Wizard in the Emerald City a week ago by request and she hasn't been back since and she's not at the Palace. She left us, all of us behind. I, for one, do not care if I ever see her again but I just wanted to tell you what has happened.

May the Unnamed God have mercy on your soul unlike Elphaba's soul,

Nessarose Thropp

Galinda was crushed when she read the letter and found herself sobbing uncontrollably. Elphaba had been her only comfort in her marriage and now that she was gone, Galinda didn't know how much longer she could hold on without breaking…

**The next chapter is set five years later. I've written up to chapter 12 now. I am so excited that you all love this story. Thank you for your lovely reviews! Keep them coming!**

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	10. Years Later

Chapter Ten:

Five Years Later;

The blonde woman opened another bottle of alcohol as she sat in the room alone and she drank the whole thing in one gulp. This was her third one. After she finished it, she opened another one, her fourth, and was about to drink it when a member of the Gale Force came and knocked on her door.

"Glinda the Good, you're on in ten minutes for your speech about the bans on Animals," said the guard. He left soon afterwards and Glinda got up from the chair clumsily in a ridiculous blue glittering gown. Her hair was in tight banana curls and a tiara was placed in them.

She left the open bottle untouched as she stumbled over towards the mirror and looked at her reflection.

She looked miserable, like a wilted flower that was falling to pieces. Her eyes were hard and cold, not bright and happy like they used to be. Her complexion and figure was frail and colorless from her refusal to eat, and when she did eat she threw it up. Her blonde hair had lost its luster and now looked like dried up hay. But the ironic thing was that when Glinda put on her excessive amounts of makeup, people believed that she was the most beautiful woman in Oz when really she wasn't. Her smile was absolutely fake, a hopeless attempt to bring joy to the people in Oz. They couldn't see fakeness behind it, thank Oz, but Glinda's parents, family, and friends sure could. She drank excessively day and night and had been searching for years now trying to secretly find Elphaba. She had hired agents, private detectives but none of them had ever found anything.

To her disappointment she had kept in contact with Nessarose during these years and found that the youngest Thropp sister was convinced that Elphaba was dead and that if she was not that she was better off to be dead than alive.

Glinda was interrupted mid thought about Elphaba by her husband who came in through the door just then.

"Glinda," he said harshly as he slammed the door behind him. Chuffrey had grown old by now, his hair and beard now fully grey. His eyes were cold and mean, just like they always had been.

Glinda pursed her lips when she saw him, put her hands on her hips, and glared at him, "Screwing one of our maids, were you? Or was it one of the Wizard's maids this time?"

Her comment was greeted by silence for Chuffrey neither denied nor confirmed it.

"Drunk on the job, again eh Glinda?" he mocked her.

Glinda glared at him, "Shut up you old bastard," she spat back. She reached for the bottle and took a swig.

"You're going to die if you keep drinking that much," pointed out Chuffrey as he took off his black coat. Glinda merely laughed.

"You'd just love that, wouldn't you? You're just wishing for the day that I die!" she stumbled over to him and slammed the bottle on the table near his face where he sat, "Well let me tell you something, with all that physical exercise you're getting I'm almost positive that one day you'll just keel over mid erection!"

Chuffrey paused, "At least I'm not in love with a dead woman."

Glinda froze, and her hands began to shake.

"_Don't you dare,_" she screamed, "_say that about her! She is not dead!_"

"She might as well be, with skin like that and such feelings for you," said Chuffrey, mocking her relationship with Elphaba.

Glinda felt angry tears build up in her eyes and she cursed him. She yelled every curse word she could think of at him, and she slapped him hard across the face.

"It's all your fault, you know!" she screeched, "If you hadn't taken away my only _comfort_ in this marriage we wouldn't be like this! She was my only friend!"

Chuffrey sat there for a moment and then he stood up suddenly and grabbed both of her wrists.

"Don't touch me! Don't you touch me!" shouted Glinda as she tried to squirm away from him. He held tighter and forced her closer to him, "I hate you!"

"Trust me my dear, the feeling is the same for me," said Chuffrey as he let go, but slapped her across the face afterwards.

Without another word he left Glinda to herself and once the door was closed Glinda sank into a chair and began to cry.

She sobbed for the loss of opportunity, of the times that she had missed because she was married, the friends that she had lost, she cried for her loss of Elphaba. It was almost too much to bear, and at times Glinda compensated if jumping out of a window was getting a bit too tempting to resist.

But for some reason she never did throw herself off balconies or drink herself to death. That was because there was a tiny speck of hope still left in Glinda that one day she was going to find Elphaba and then everything would be alright.

That speck grew smaller and smaller as each day passed, and today it was down to nothing.

She couldn't deal with the title of 'Glinda the Good' anymore, the name changing brought upon by the Wizard saying that Glinda was much more sophisticated than Galinda. She couldn't deal with the little sorcery she knew, flying a bubble, conjuring up simple things like weather and making objects fly. After two miscarriages and a stillborn baby, her marriage was wasted. Both of them never slept together anymore. Glinda slept by herself and after one incident where she kissed one of her maids she was usually left to dress herself. Chuffrey slept with everything in sight that moved.

They resented each other, and only kept their relationship for social reasons. They acted like they loved each other, and boy were they both good actors. They fooled everyone into thinking that they were in love when really they loathed each other.

Glinda finally stopped crying and finished what was remaining of the alcohol. She felt as if she went through another regular day as herself that she would go insane. She had to run away.

So when the guard opened the door ten minutes later, he found the room to be empty.

Glinda the Good and all of her belongings were gone.

* * *

Glinda wore a white cloak as she traveled around the Emerald City while carrying two suitcases filled with clothes and trinkets and a bottle of wine. She had her hood up and her recognizable blonde curls were concealed from the commoners' eyes in the nighttime. She felt dizzy as she stumbled along the cobblestone streets of the Emerald City. Colors of the various stores and stands seemed to melt into one big mess in her mind. She walked until her head felt like it was going to burst.

She stood in front of a dilapidated old wooden building that was labeled as 'Corn Exchange.' Exhausted and with a horrible headache Glinda entered the building and climbed up the stairs to find a room where she could sleep in.

When she came to the last step, she set her bags down and looked around. There was only one room in this floor and she decided that she wasn't climbing any more stairs.

She looked at the slightly opened door and pushed it open further revealing a dark room. Glinda heard rustling and two voices, and before she knew it a candle was lit.

Whom-ever was holding the candle came towards the door, "Who's there?" asked the voice, a voice that Glinda recognized immediately even in her drunken state.

"Elphaba?" she said softly.

The woman holding the candle moved closer to Glinda and the blonde could see the light reflecting off of the green skin.

"You're alive, oh Elphaba you're alive!" cried Glinda in joy. Then without thinking Glinda came towards her, and kissed her passionately.

The candle was dropped to the floor in surprise.

**Dun Dun Da**.** How do you all think Glinda will react to Elphaba's affair with Fiyero? Not good I hope. See this chapter ended on a happy note! :)**

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	11. Reunion

Chapter Eleven:

Glinda felt Elphaba pull away as soon as her lips touched hers. Some water being thrown on the floor by someone not Elphaba or Glinda extinguished the candle that had fallen to the floor. The lights were turned on, and Glinda looked at Elphaba with tears in her eyes, and looked at the other figure in the room with even more tears in her eyes.

"Fiyero… you're here too?" the blonde was confused.

A dark skinned man with blue diamond tattoos nodded his head, "Hello Glinda," he said softly.

Glinda now realized that he had a blanket over himself to cover his body, as did Elphaba. She knew what that meant.

Her lips trembled; this was not how it was supposed to be. She had always imagined that when she found Elphaba that they'd take each other into each other's arms and kiss all night long.

"You… and him," stuttered Glinda as a tear ran down her cheek, and she hiccupped, "But I thought-"

Elphaba fixed the makeshift clothing she had on her as she made her way over to Glinda.

"Galinda my sweet, listen to me. You need to leave; you need to pretend as if you never saw me. Go back to Chuffrey and live your life with him."

Glinda started sobbing now and she staggered against a wall and crumpled to the floor in a crying mess.

"Don't make me go back, Elphie! I can't do it anymore! I hate him, I don't want him and I never want to see him again! Ozdamn it Elphaba Thropp I love you!" screamed Glinda to Elphaba who stood in front of her now with Fiyero's arm wrapped around her waist.

"Galinda-"

"It's Glinda now," corrected Glinda with a wail.

"Glinda," said Elphaba softly as she knelt besides her, "I am not supposed to exist anymore. I can't, not with the line of work I do. You need to leave."

Elphaba's words hurt Glinda and she cried even more.

"I've been searching for five years trying to find you!" snapped Glinda angrily as she unsteadily walking out of the room, got her bags and came back. She opened up one suitcase and took the bottle of wine out. She uncorked it and started to drink it.

"You know why I drink now, Elphie?" asked Glinda not really waiting for an answer, "Because I'm a wreck without you. After I had my first miscarriage Chuffrey forced himself on me so hard that I was sure I was going to die as punishment for us kissing. Then I got pregnant again, but I had another miscarriage. Same thing happened again with Chuffrey and this time it was a stillborn. And I kept waiting and waiting for you to come save me from the torture I have to call my life and you never did!" screeched Glinda as tears ran steadily down her face and she sniffled a million times.

She buried her head in her knees and arms and stayed like that crying for a long time.

"I was alone with that monster of a husband, foolishly thinking that one day you would come for me! Thinking that you really did love me. But you don't, you're screwing Fiyero aren't you?" Glinda asked with her head still buried.

"Glinda-" started Fiyero.

"ANSWER THE QUESTION!" she shrieked.

Elphaba had had enough. She forced Glinda to her feet and slapped her straight across the face.

Glinda reeled from the blow and she stood there fighting back tears as she looked at her long lost love interest.

"You need to get sober," Elphaba commanded as she took the wine away from Glinda and got her some milk, "Here, drink this."

Glinda refused.

"Glinda, please drink this so we can talk," encouraged Elphaba. Her black-coiled hair lay flat around her shoulders, and Glinda looked at that hair, realizing how much she had missed every little detail of Elphaba.

Finally Glinda drank the milk and slid against the wall, sipping it quietly.

She entangled one hand in her own blonde hair as she drank the milk while Fiyero and Elphaba watched her.

"I'll leave you two alone to talk," said Fiyero glancing at both of them as he went into the next room.

Elphaba now sat herself besides Glinda on the wall, and stared straight ahead.

"I hate you," muttered Glinda as she finished the milk. She set it down and noticed the white cat or Cat that was roaming around the flat.

"I'm sorry, alright," snapped Elphaba.

"Where did you go?" asked Glinda quietly, glancing at the green woman.

"Underground," sighed Elphaba slowly, "I've been working against the government."

That seemed to force Glinda into silence for a bit.

"Against me?" she asked suddenly.

Elphaba gave her a shrug, "I don't know. Last I heard of you was from Fiyero a couple of weeks ago just saying that you were still married to Chuffrey, had a chapel named after you, and were a public figure of some sorts…" Elphaba trailed off not knowing if her facts were right.

"They call me Glinda the Good now," laughed Glinda slightly, "I work with the Wizard."

Elphaba snorted, "You?"

The blonde nodded and Elphaba seem to grow angry, "Do you know how much he lies? Do you know that he is personally responsible for corrupting Oz from the inside and out? Galinda I thought you were smarter than this! I thought you were smart enough to see through their lies!"

I'm not you, Elphaba! I am not someone who sees people with knives behind every little corner!"

Her comment made Elphaba pursed her lips together in thought.

"So… are you?" asked the blonde after a moment.

"Am I what, Glinda?" asked Elphaba impatiently.

"Are you and Fiyero sleeping together?"

Silence filled the room for a moment as Elphaba paused to answer.

"Yes."

That word broke Glinda's heart.

"But I thought-"

"Whatever you thought, Glinda, was wrong," Elphaba said quickly with no emotion, "Whatever you felt was not real. There is nothing between us. There can't be anything between us. You are working for the government and I am trying to corrupt it. It's not right!" said Elphaba bitterly.

"You're wrong," said Glinda hoarsely as she fought back tears, "It's because you don't know what you want yet. You're trying to convince yourself that you want him, men in general but Elphaba let me remind you of something. You were the one to kiss me at Shiz, you made the first move. Not me."

"It's not like that!" Elphaba snapped as she glared at Glinda. She couldn't believe the blonde's accusations.

"Yes it is," Glinda smiled sadly at her best friend, "Don't tell me that you have been so isolated that you've forgotten how love works."

"Love doesn't exist."

"If anyone should be saying that, I don't believe it should be you," pointed out Glinda as her face drained of happiness and color.

"Leave," commanded Elphaba getting up and opening the door for Glinda.

"What?" the blonde was shocked.

"You heard me, Glinda the Good. Leave!" hissed Elphaba.

Glinda bit her lip, stood up shakily, and grabbed hold of her bags. She walked slowly to the door as Elphaba stood near it.

She turned once she was in the doorway and looked at Elphaba.

"You know dear, underneath all that toughness you're crumbling. You're crumbling just like I am. But together we can stop crumbling, we can make the future better for ourselves if you want."

Tears gathered in the blonde's eyes when Elphaba said nothing to that. She swallowed hard and blinked rapidly, "Then I guess this is… goodbye," she leaned forward to kiss her cheek when suddenly the alcohol made her brain go black and she nearly fell to the floor in a faint.

Elphaba caught her just in time, and held her in her arms, "Glinda wake up you blonde idiot!"

But Glinda didn't and she stayed unconscious. Elphaba momentarily considered putting Glinda on the street but then she thought of numerous horrific scenarios of what could happen to her and she decided against it.

So instead, she carried the blonde to the couch, put a blanket over her and let her rest while she went into the other room with Fiyero.

**The next chapter is so long! But I won't post that until I finish writing Chapter 13 and 14. So enjoy this for a while! Any guesses as to what will happen next? Thanks for the reviews? Also this is for xMegxGiryx: The Chuffrey Hunters have now gathered for a later chapter, care to join them? :)**

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	12. So Close

Chapter Twelve:

Glinda opened her eyes to find herself still in the Corn Exchange. The bright morning sun glared through the open glass roof and everything was a bit hazy to her eyesight.

"Good morning Sleeping Beauty," remarked Elphaba as she sat, already dressed in a common black dress, in the torn up armchair across from the couch. Glinda sat up slowly, and rubbed her eyes.

"I don't remember much from last night. What happened?"

"Well," said Elphaba, "You showed up in the middle of the night, drunk as anything, and kissed me after you found out that I was alive. Then you proceeded to start crying when you saw that Fiyero and I were in a relationship, and then I ordered you to leave and you passed out on me."

"Oh, sorry," apologized Glinda sheepishly. "I have a tendency to do that when I have too much to drink."

"Ah," said Elphaba with a wry smile.

Glinda pulled the covers around her tightly and yawned, "What time is it?"

"Noon," answered Elphaba briskly.

Glinda now looked around the shabby room. Glinda could tell it used to be a storage room from the bags of grain stacked up against the walls. The beautiful cracked glass skylight brought in limited sunlight. She looked at the stacks of books, food, tables and crates that were on the floor. But what really caught her interest was the skull of the elephant that had pink roses exploding from it, and underneath that a small oval looking glass.

"Where did you get that?" asked Glinda getting up slowly, for she had a major headache and pointed to the glass.

"Oh, that?" Elphaba sounded bored as she looked up from her book, "Turtle-Heart made it for me, the glass blower that my family knew back in Quadling."

"It's beautiful," admired Glinda glancing at her own reflection, "Why did you keep it?"

The question threw Elphaba off guard.

"It's special, and I always liked him."

Elphaba would say nothing further on the subject.

"Where's Fiyero?" asked Glinda once she figured out that Elphaba was done talking about the looking glass.

"In a meeting across town," said Elphaba as she flipped a page through her book.

"Elphie?"

"Yes?"

Glinda paused, trying to think of the right words to say to her friend, "Are you angry at me for kissing you last night?"

Elphaba looked at Glinda in the eyes now, "Course not. I just wasn't expecting it. I wasn't expecting to see you ever again, Glinda. I thought everyone knew that when I left."

"Oh," said Glinda simply.

"Madame Morrible was supposed to contact everyone. I heard through the grapevine from Fiyero that she contacted Sir Chuffrey to tell you the news."

Glinda immediately knew why she had never heard the news.

"Oz damn it!" she swore as she in a huff sat back on the couch.

"What, you mean he didn't tell you?" Elphaba sounded truly shocked.

Glinda shook her head, her curls swaying, "No. After we kissed he forbade me ever to see you again or speak of you. That's why he can't find out that I've been here. I need to stay hidden for a few days and then I'll just show up somewhere unexpected, I promise Elphie." She paused, "I just- I just had to know that you were okay."

"Oh, Glinda," Elphaba looked at her sympathetically, "Thank you."

It was silent for a bit.

"What happened after I left at Shiz, and I mean really Elphie?" asked Glinda as she crossed her ankles and played with her hands in her lap.

"Morrible called me into her office and explained to me that the Wizard wanted to meet with me. So I packed my bags and went to the Emerald City. When I met him I was so excited," Elphaba smirked, "But then I found out that he was nothing but a manipulative old man who wants nothing more than to stay in power. He has no magic; it's all an allusion, a trick Glinda. He has no real power."

"So then what happened?"

Elphaba's face turned emotionless, "I left, I refused his proposition and hid out here planning against the government and taking part in a group that will rock the foundations of Oz to its core."

Glinda filled in the blanks, "You're planning to kill someone?"

Elphaba nodded slowly, glad that she picked up on it.

"Who?"

"Can't tell you that, my sweet."

"Why not?" asked Glinda looking at her curiously.

"Because it's a secret," answered Elphaba.

Silence lingered for a moment; "You'd tell me if you were planning to assassinate me, right?" inquired Glinda, feeling a bit fearful.

That got a dry, witch-like cackle out of Elphaba.

"Of course, my sweet. Of course I would. But I can assure you that it is not you that we are planning to kill."

Glinda smiled, "Good."

Elphaba set down her book, and made her way to the kitchen part of the room where a wooden table stood, "Want some lunch, or breakfast in your case?"

Glinda nodded and Elphaba brought over some bread and chunks of cheese. They sat for a while and ate.

"So, can I ask what in the world your silly blonde mind was thinking last night when you left Chuffrey, packed your bags and came looking for me?" asked Elphaba after they had finished eating.

"Well," started Glinda, "It all started when I was in our estate here in the Emerald City getting ready to present a speech about the bans on Animals, and-" she stopped when she noticed Elphaba glaring at her, "What, Elphaba?"

"Please tell me that you are not one of those supporters of Animal bans, Glinda?" whined Elphaba, sounding like her eight-teen year old self again.

"Elphie that has nothing to do with the story of how I got here, so hush up and I'll tell you about that later."

Elphaba closed her mouth.

"Anyways," said the blonde pointedly, "I was on my third bottle of alcohol when the guard called for ten minutes, and then Chuffrey came in, probably from screwing one of the maids like he usually does… but I digress, we exchanged some heated words, both slapped each other and I left the room in a drunken crying mess, and packed my bags. I just figured it would all be all right once I got away for a bit. Needless to say I was so drunk I couldn't walk straight across the cobblestones so I stopped here, exhausted, made my way up the stairs and found you two."

"What did you and Chuffrey talk about, those heated words?" asked Elphaba, interested. Her green face was scrunched in the act of listening, and Glinda half waited for the day that Elphaba would pounce on her like a cat.

"Each other's relationships. Him screwing everything in sight, and me… waiting for you," Glinda admitted, her heart anxious to see what Elphaba had to say to that.

"Oh," said Elphaba, "Glinda we've already talked about this and-"

"Yes, I know we've talked about it but you haven't given me one good reason why we can't be together!" shot back Glinda. Her expression softened, "Don't you love me?"

Elphaba's mouth opened and closed multiple times and Glinda felt the yearning to kiss her all over again. Though she couldn't tell if it was from actual yearning or the effects of alcohol.

So the blonde got up and kissed Elphaba once more, putting her hands on the sides of her beautiful green face. She pulled away after a while and looked into Elphaba's eyes.

"Are you telling me that you do not feel something when I kiss you? Because I feel alive when you kiss me. I feel safe, like Chuffrey can't hurt me anymore. Can't you see that I need you or I'm going to kill myself?"

Elphaba sat there, and wiped her lips after a moment. Glinda was trying so hard to understand why Elphaba was refusing her, why would she torment her so?

"Glinda, I need you to listen to me, please," begged Elphaba as soon as the blonde turned her head away, "I- I don't know if I love you that way. I don't think I know anything anymore."

She got up from the chair and walked right past the blonde. Suddenly Elphaba paused in her walking and put a hand over her mouth. She ran to the sink and threw up in it. Glinda saw the way Elphaba held her stomach after she threw up. Glinda knew that that had been no ordinary stomach bug.

"You're pregnant, aren't you?" stated Glinda in a question but her tone of voice told Elphaba that she already knew.

Elphaba looked oddly ashamed of this fact, and she begged, "Don't tell him, Glinda!"

Glinda narrowed her eyes in confusion and put her hands at her hips, "Why not?"

"Because I don't plan on keeping it," said Elphaba harshly.

That struck a cord with Glinda, who had lost three children at her young age of twenty-three.

"What are you planning to do?" asked Glinda cautiously.

Elphaba shrugged, "Give it away to the maunts of Saint Glinda's chapel, or an orphanage."

Glinda bit her lip and didn't say anything.

"Don't look at me like that, Glin," said Elphaba sadly as Glinda exchanged eye contact with her.

"Children shouldn't be left alone, Elphie," whispered Glinda.

"Glinda, I can't," said Elphaba dismissively.

"You should and you know damn well why you should," snapped Glinda moving towards Elphaba quickly. She stood mere inches away from her.

Elphaba stood still and silent, "Not a word, Glinda I mean it. Or I'll go away like a puff of smoke and you will never see me again."

"So that's why you won't be with me, " said Glinda in a out loud analysis of her thoughts, "Because you're pregnant."

"Glinda," started Elphaba, "That's not the only reason."

"But it's one of them," said Glinda softly as she reached out and touched Elphaba's hand.

"Glinda…" whispered Elphaba softly as their eyes locked.

"Don't worry, Elphie. I won't tell," said Glinda quietly.

Elphaba nodded in thanks, and didn't flinch or let go when Glinda clasped her fingers between her emerald ones.

"Miss Elphaba?" Glinda teased.

Elphaba's face broke into a rare smile, "Yes?"

"I missed you," said the blonde earnestly. Elphaba looked at her with a funny expression on her face.

"I missed you too," said Elphaba as she lightly kissed Glinda's cheek and sat back down in the armchair, already engrossed in her book.

Glinda stayed near the sink for a bit, and then with a small smile on her face she returned to her place back in the couch where the two young women sat in peaceful and satisfying silence.

"Glinda?" asked Elphaba a while later, her eyes never leaving her book.

"Yes, Elphie?" Glinda was busy skimming through an old book of Elphaba's from Shiz to not notice that Elphaba was standing in front of her.

"I know now." Elphaba's voice sounded so sure.

"I know now that I love you, Glinda Upland."

Glinda's cerulean eyes snapped up to met Elphaba's.

"Really?" she asked breathlessly. This had been the moment she had been waiting five years for.

Elphaba nodded and brought her lips to Glinda's. Glinda threw the book out of her hands and it landed on the floor with a thud. She felt the power behind Elphaba's kiss and she moaned. Their hands entangled in each other's body and hair as their kissing reached a more passionate level. Elphaba was now sitting on top of Glinda's lap, kissing her fiercely as Glinda leaned back on the couch.

"You're different, you're so different than him," muttered Elphaba as her hands made their way across Glinda's stomach, "But that's what I love about you."

Clothes were unbuttoned and pleasure was fulfilled as the two women engaged in activity that was up until now only thought to be for husband and wife.

Afterwards they got dressed and held each other's hands.

"No one can know, Glin. A secret romance with a prince is much more forgiving than a secret relationship with Glinda the Good… I still love you though," said Elphaba softly as she let go of her hand and walked over to the kitchen to make dinner for the two of them. Glinda sat there on the couch, bewildered and confused. She just had her wildest dreams come true and now she had to keep hush about it?

In a word she felt betrayed.

**So close to a happy ending. So in the next two chapters let's just say that Glinda is very drunk and does something... quite mad and crazy. But I believe that she actually would have done whatever is it due to the circumstances of Elphaba not loving her. Any guesses what that could be? Hint: One favorite pairing will not like me for this. And it's an event that happened in the boo, but with a twist... Sorry in advance!**

**Until next time!**

**Bubble**


	13. Wanting

Chapter Thirteen:

The next day Glinda woke up late to find herself at the Corn Exchange on the couch with Elphaba sleeping in the next room. Glinda found herself surrounded by bottles of wine when she woke, that she hastily hid from Elphaba by stuffing them into slits in the couch. She apparently had been drinking after last night's activities without Elphaba's knowledge.

"Fiyero's not coming back till nightfall at the latest," said Elphaba as she got out a roll of more bread and cheese for their mid-day lunch/breakfast.

"Oh," said Glinda quietly as she smiled seductively and reached out to grab Elphaba's hand. Elphaba flinched and pulled her hand away.

"Glin, what are you doing?"

Glinda felt a blush creep into her face, "Trying to hold your hand," she stuttered.

Elphaba blinked at her and kept her hand away as she began eating her cheese.

"Why are you acting like this?" snapped Glinda, slamming her fork down on the table in aggravation as they sat in silence while they ate.

"Glinda I am not acting like anything-" sighed the green woman, irritated.

"No!" shouted Glinda, "You're acting like nothing happened, like last night was not a big deal for you!"

Elphaba looked at her grimly, "Last night never should have happened."

Glinda gaped at her, her mouth open wide and her cornflower blue eyes brimming with tears.

"How can you say that?" she whispered tearfully, "I-I-I don't understand… why do you _torment_ me so, Elphaba?"

She took a deep shaky breath, "It's because of Fiyero isn't it? Because it's his child in your womb, not mine!"

Elphaba shook her head, "It's not that, Glinda!"

"Then what is it?" exploded Glinda standing up suddenly and throwing her hands down on the table, "Because I will _NOT_ be used, not again! Is it because I married Chuffrey? Is it because you and I had no choice in the matter? Is it because he beats me every night? That's where those bruises come from, Elphie! And I have invisible bruises as well! Ones that are on my heart! You will _NOT_ bruise me! I will not be tossed aside like some desperate whore! You can't do this to me," Glinda was now going on a psychotic rant, "You will not do this to me, Elphaba!"

Elphaba sat there for a moment, her dark eyes staring into Glinda's as the blonde burst into tears and stood there crying.

"I think you need to be alone for a while, and sort things out. All that alcohol has really gotten to you, Galinda," said Elphaba quietly using Glinda's old name.

"Shut up, Elphaba!" screeched Glinda as she threw a plate at her, but she missed the target. "How could you say that when you know what drove me to alcohol? How could you even suggest that I might actually be happy being married to Chuffrey! You know how miserable I am, and yet you deny having feelings for me, which I know is not true! You have feelings for me, Elphaba, and I know that you are not one for feelings but you have to admit that this time there are real feelings between us."

"Glinda, there is nothing between-" started Elphaba when Glinda shrieked again.

"_HOW DARE YOU?_ Elphaba you are my only_ comfort_, the only thing in this world that keeps me from losing my sanity and you deny everything! You deny kissing me at my wedding, at Shiz, and you denied what happened last night! It's like you want to forget about me all together…"

"I do," snapped Elphaba harshly as deafening silence lingered in the room while Glinda processed this.

Glinda's face crumbled, "If you do, then say one thing for me. Say 'Glinda I love Fiyero and not you.'"

Elphaba sighed, tired of Glinda's antics. "Glinda this is ridiculous, can't I just-"

"Say it!" yelled Glinda leaning over the table and looking deep, almost murderous into Elphaba's eyes.

"Glinda, I love Fiyero and not you," said Elphaba her voice lacking any emotion.

"Liar!" screamed Glinda as tears ran down her face, "You don't mean that!"

"Yes, Glinda. I do. You need to go home, you have a much better chance of living happier, healthier, and richer with Chuffrey than with me. Isn't that what you've always wanted? Isn't that why you got married in the first place? I can't give you that, Glin," said Elphaba as she got up and pushed her chair back.

"I don't care Elphie! Why can't you see that I am miserable with Chuffrey and that I am so happy with you than him."

Elphaba glanced at her, "It doesn't matter anymore. Leave, or stay here for all I care. I'll be gone for the rest of the night after all." Her eyes turned out towards the dark snow covered streets of the Emerald City that they could see from the limited window.

Glinda's angry features faltered, "But it's Lurlinemas…"

Elphaba smiled grimly as she made her way to the doorway to the next room, "It's a work night for me my sweet."

Elphaba shut the door behind her as she left.

Glinda sank in the chair and angrily threw the other plate on the floor. She then put her head down and her arms folded around her hair. Her vision became a blurry mess as tears began rapidly spilling from her eyes and her breath became hysterical. Her heart was breaking into two. Her life ever since she had turned seventeen had become a living nightmare. How stupid of her to think that being with Elphaba would change that? Glinda could see clearly now that Elphaba wanted nothing to do with her… or at least not while Fiyero was around….

"That's it!" exclaimed Glinda out loud as she giggled with glee.

She gingerly picked up a large kitchen knife that was lying on the table that Elphaba had used to cut the bread, and traced the rippled blade over gently with her forefinger.

The alcohol was making her act like a mad woman, and usually Glinda could tell when she was out of whack. But right now, she didn't care.

"If Fiyero's no longer around then Elphaba will finally love me," murmured Glinda darkly as she got out another bottle of wine and poured herself a glass.

She sat there with the knife in one hand and bottles of wine all around her.

Now all she had to do was wait until Elphaba left and Fiyero showed up.

**Okay so I need your honest opinions on what will happen next. I know it's a bit OOC for Glinda to kill Fiyero but I think, at least in my version, it seemed plausible. If anyone disagrees, excluding die-hard Fiyeraba fans, please let me know why. I just think it goes well with what I have planned in future chapters. Warning: get out your tissues Fiyeraba fans, cuz the next chapter is the killing!**

**Thanks again for the reviews and a gentle reminder that this is a GELPHIE story!**

**Bubble**


	14. A Bad Choice

Chapter Fourteen:

**So I made a decision to go with my gut instinct as a writer... I sincerely hope that you all understand that I did this as a writing choice. I know it's OOC, but it's my story and I felt like this was the direction my story had to go in at the moment. If you really hate it, please tell me in CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM, not just I hated it. I do hope that you all still like the story though.**

Fiyero showed up a few hours later with some candles for Elphaba's flat. Elphaba was already dressed as if she was going out in a snowstorm, with a dark cloak, gloves, a hat, and boots that went up to her knees.

Glinda had pretended to fall asleep on the couch, now drunk more than ever, and lay there with her face turned away from them. The knife was in her grasp in one of the slits in the couch. She held it tight, knowing that soon the problem in their relationship would soon be gone.

"I'm going with you," said Fiyero to Elphaba as Glinda heard her pack up her things.

"No, you're not. It's too dangerous Fiyero. Listen we've covered our tracks pretty well but I can't risk you being seen with me," said Elphaba as she pushed him away with her hands.

"So you want me to be seen with Glinda the Good?" asked Fiyero, probably gesturing to the blonde, "I'll get charged for kidnapping or something if the Gale Force find me with her!"

"Then go somewhere else! Hire some company and go take a bath, I don't care!" snapped Elphaba as she walked towards the doorway in a hurry.

"Yes, you do," said Fiyero quietly.

"Shut up," said Elphaba quietly, wearily.

Seconds of silence came next.

"I love you," said Elphaba.

"I love you too, and I promise I'll be careful," said Fiyero as he walked over and kissed her.

Elphaba looked at him, "Take care of Glinda, will you? I'm worried about her."

And with those words she left.

Glinda opened her eyes then, and she half expected what she saw happen next. She watched quietly as Fiyero took a moment, standing still, and then he walked out of the door to follow Elphaba.

The door shut and Glinda sat up anxiously. She ran a hand through her hair and played with the knife in her other hand.

"He'll be back, Glin, he'll be back," she said to herself as she sat there and waited.

She was right. An hour later Fiyero returned to the Corn Exchange, only to stumble in and throw up all over the floor. Glinda paid little attention to that as she sat there quietly at the table, stabbing the wood over and over again with the knife as she watched him collect himself.

"Glinda… you're awake? Elphaba and I thought you had passed out-" said Fiyero groggily as he held his face in his hands for a moment.

He slid his hands down as he registered just how many empty wine bottles there were lying around the flat. He peered curiously at Glinda who was staring at him murderously.

"Glinda," he said hesitantly, "How much have you been drinking?"

Glinda didn't answer him, but she merely laughed as she forced herself up from the chair and over to Fiyero. She gripped the knife behind her back and almost giggled at the thought. He would never truly know what hit him….

"I love her," slurred Glinda in a enraged voice, "And you can't ruin that anymore!"

Fiyero looked panicked as Glinda now raised the knife and stabbed into Fiyero over and over again until he collapsed on the floor, a bloody mess. Even still she continued to stab him, not registering that she was also covered in the crimson blood until she was finished.

She stared down at her crimson stained dress and body as she started to giggle. Fiyero was out of the way. Now Glinda could finally be happy with the one person that deep down wanted her as well.

"Finally," she breathed as she released the knife from her grip and slid down to the floor. Malky meowed and ran away, but she ignored the stupid cat. She breathed heavily, her chest heaving fast as she accidentally smeared more blood into her blonde hair. She smiled as she thought of what she had done. Then getting the knife back into her grasp, Glinda made cuts into her own skin in various places. Then she got herself up and made her way into the other room to wait for Elphaba.

When Elphaba did arrive and unlocked the door, Glinda came running out of the other room and ran straight into the green woman's arms, all covered in blood.

"Glinda what in Oz…" Elphaba's voice cut off as soon as she saw the blood on Glinda and then Fiyero on the ground as well.

"Glinda," croaked out Elphaba in a strained voice, "why is Fiyero- why is he dead?"

She dropped to her knees, ignoring Glinda completely as she placed her hands on Fiyero's chest and started sobbing; something Glinda nor Elphaba herself thought she was capable of doing.

"Oh Yero, no! No, don't leave me please don't leave me. I love you," cried Elphaba while Glinda stood there in her blood soaked dress watching silently. Elphaba looked up at her and saw that there were tears in the blonde's eyes, but little did she knew that she was not shedding them over Fiyero.

"Glinda, what happened?" asked Elphaba drying her face as fast as she could with her gloves before her face started burning.

"It was…" Glinda paused, "The Gale Force in disguise. Four men in black came here while I was asleep and they murdered him, Elphie. I woke up when they surrounded me and managed to frighten them off, but Fiyero was gone."

At the explanation Elphaba went rigid and said nothing. She only kneeled there on the ground, silent as the grave.

"Elphie…" Glinda whispered, "Are you okay?"

Elphaba's face seemed frozen in a state of fear and pain. She didn't speak, and her body trembled in sobs but she did not cry anymore.

"I can't believe they did this," Glinda heard Elphaba whisper in a voice so faint she almost didn't hear it.

Glinda put a bloody hand on Elphaba's shoulder, leaned down, and kissed Elphaba's cheek.

"It will be alright now, Elphie. He's gone now, finally gone. Now it can be just us, just the two of us," whispered Glinda lovingly as Elphaba looked at her.

Her mouth opened and she said something that she would have never dreamt of saying, "Glinda…did you- did you do this?"

Glinda pretended to seem offended when really she wanted to scream at the top of her lungs that she had killed Fiyero.

"Elphaba, how could you even say that about me? I would never kill Fiyero!"

Elphaba continued to stare at the blonde horrified. It was as if she didn't believe her. Glinda's mind scoffed at that, why wouldn't she believe her? The Gale Force could have easily done this as well as she could have. But it was something in Elphaba's eyes that made Glinda feel like she knew. Maybe she was taunting her… or the worst: maybe Elphaba really never loved Glinda at all.

Elphaba stood up then, and shrugged off Glinda's hand. Her green arms were all bloody from leaning on Fiyero, and her hands shook.

"Tell me now, Glinda or so help me God I will-" threatened Elphaba as she glared at the blonde.

Glinda swallowed, "Fine, Ozdamn it, I killed him." Her voice held no remorse.

"GLINDA!" screeched Elphaba nearly collapsing on the floor in hysterics, "HOW COULD YOU?"

"You said you loved him," stuttered Glinda while she started to cry, "You loved him more than me. Don't you see, Elphie, he had to die! I couldn't bear the thought of you being with someone else other than me. I had to kill him…I had to…"

Elphaba started sobbing again. Glinda tried to comfort her when she stepped forward but Elphaba flew a couple of feet back in retreat.

"Don't- just don't Glinda," said Elphaba in a low voice.

Glinda's face faltered, "But Elphaba…. I-I-"

Elphaba's gaze turned hard, "I hate you Glinda!" she spat out.

Glinda felt tears well up in her eyes and her body trembled. She shook her head back and forth. "You don't mean that, Elphie- You can say you love me now!"

"I don't!" snapped Elphaba in a loud, strained voice. "You killed him, Glinda! Are you too much of a drunk to realize what you just did? Are you too self-absorbed to not figure out that I really loved him and that I don't love you? We're friends, Glinda maybe we were more than friends at one point or another but… after this," Elphaba struggled to contain her tears, "I will never love you again," she expressed in anger passionately.

"Elphie!" cried out Glinda as she reached out a hand towards her. But the green woman flinched and ran out the door slamming it behind her.

Glinda stood there for a moment before rushing across the room, and smashing the elephant skull on the floor in rage. Just as she was about to smash the oval looking glass, she stopped and looked at it. Reflected in the glass were apparitions of Glinda and Elphaba kissing gently, from last night.

Glinda refrained herself from smashing the looking glass and held it in her arms as she sunk to the floor crying and waiting…but Elphaba never came back.

**Review?**


	15. Realization

Chapter Fifteen:

Soldiers from the Gale Force found Glinda the Good unconscious in the old Corn Exchange a few days later with a rotting corpse of the floor. The corpse was identified as Fiyero Tiggular, a Prince, and was, said by locals, killed by Sir Chuffrey's hired assassins because he had kidnapped Glinda.

Glinda on the other hand was taken back to Mockbeggar where she was to be resting by doctor's orders from large amounts of alcohol abuse and sexual activities. The blood spatters on her dress were found to be Fiyero's and Glinda claimed it was an act of self-defense against him.

She sat in her bedroom at Mockbeggar, looking around at the swirling light blue colors of the wall that clashed with the gold edging and fringe of the curtains. She drummed her fingers on the warm comforter as she lay there in her white silk nightgown. It had been a day since she had been taken from the Corn Exchange, and she was exhausted.

Her unconscious state had been plagued by dreams of Elphaba, Elphaba dying, Elphaba killing Glinda, and Elphaba killing herself. It had been a most horrendible night for the blonde.

Her door opened and Chuffrey entered the room.

"How are you feeling?" he asked as he walked over to her in a suit of gray.

"Fine," lied Glinda, "Just fine."

He eyed her suspiciously, "Really? You were a complete drunk when I saw you last. Crying and screaming out someone's name over and over again," he said steely.

Glinda paled, "Really? I don't remember much of what-"

Chuffrey's neck muscles tensed up and he started to laugh, which was quite frightening to the blonde, "You were with her, weren't you? Oh, good Unnamed God you were! You were being her little whore weren't you?"

Glinda's eyes narrowed, "Shut up, you! You don't know anything!"

Chuffrey laughed jollily, "So what happened, did you find out she was seeing someone else?"

Glinda's face grew sad and she crossed her arms in front of her chest, refusing to say anything more.

"I don't want to talk about it," she huffed.

Chuffrey chuckled lightly, "Who was it, come on… was it a paid whore?"

Glinda pursed her lips, "No."

Chuffrey raised his eyebrows, "Was it the prince, Fiyero Tiggular? He was found dead with you, you know that right?"

Glinda paused, "Yes I know."

Her husband stared at her, "Glinda… what happened in that Corn Exchange?"

She said nothing for a moment. She sat there in her bed staring out her window while Chuffrey stared at her.

"Glinda…"

"Nothing, you old bastard I was unconscious the entire time," snapped Glinda in a false lie.

She got up from the bed suddenly, walking quickly past him and out of the room.

Chuffrey watched her leave, shaking his head lightly, "Oh yes," he called after her as he saw her make her way towards the liquor cabinet, "Let's just drink this whole thing away! Drinking really does solve everything doesn't it?"

As Glinda had her grip around the cool bottle she half thought about throwing it at Chuffrey's face. Her grip tightened and she forced herself not to. All she could think about was Elphaba hating her for killing Fiyero… and in this case, which would never happen, Glinda killing Chuffrey. Though Glinda hardly believed her subconscious when it told her that Elphaba would be mad at her.

Instead Glinda opened the bottle and faced away from Chuffrey as she felt the cool liquid flow down her throat. It felt refreshing, like it would wash away what she had done.

But even as Glinda drank the liquid, she knew she could never erase what she had done. She had killed Fiyero in a jealous rage when he had done nothing to her. Only Elphaba knew that. Would she tell? Maybe she had gone to the Gale Force… or had her friends do it for her? Maybe the Gale Force would really kill someone… maybe it would be her.

Consumed in her thoughts, Glinda barely heard the smashing of the glass as the bottle of wine fell from her grasp onto the hard wooden floor. The glass shattered on the floor and Glinda jumped back in surprise and put a hand over her heart in shock.

Something was growing inside of her, whether it was guilt or anything else Glinda did not know.

She watched in horror as the wine spread out slowly on the wooden floor, much like Fiyero's blood spilling all over the Corn Exchange… Glinda closed her eyes as she tried to block the image from her mind. But it did not go away. It was seared into the depths of her brain whether she liked it or not.

Glinda felt sick as she relived the killing. She had been sadistic, and uncaring. It was like she had became a different person altogether.

The blonde knelt down and picked up the shards of glass from the floor. A sharp pain radiated from her palm as she realized that a rough corner had cut her palm in a slice. She dropped the pieces of glass and stared at her hand most curiously.

Beads of blood were forming at the slice and soon the blood began to spread all over her palm.

At the sight of it, remembering what she had done to Fiyero, Glinda felt like she would faint. How in the world had she been able to stomach killing Fiyero? She was a woman, a young jaded woman who was known for being a blonde ditz with money. Now she could add a murderer and an adulterer to her long lists of titles. She could just picture it now, signing her checks.

Lady Glinda Upland Nee Chuffrey

Wife, Adulterer, Murderer, Public Official, Glinda The Good…

The thought of it made Glinda absolutely sick.

Her cut hand brushed against her white nightgown and the white purity of the dress was now stained with the crimson color, much like Lady Glinda herself.

She stood up shakily, and retreated away from the mess and into her room. She shut the door and was glad to find that Chuffrey had gone away somewhere. Glinda got dressed in a pale green dress with a cute little veil over her face. She looked at herself in the mirror before she left.

She looked like the frightened version of Galinda, the childish vain girl that had been at Shiz before getting married. She was pale, skittish, and too thin for being in good health. Her eyes were beyond haunted; those blue orbs were scarred, forever reliving the deed that she had committed in the Corn Exchange. She wrapped her hand up with some loose fabric that complemented her outfit.

Then, as if in secret, she called for a carriage and left Mockbeggar Hall.

* * *

There was a knock on the door of Cowlen Grounds later that day, near nighttime. Boq answered the door politely at first, but he was confused when he saw who it was.

"Ms. Ms. Glinda?"

The pale blonde seemed anxious and frightened.

"Yes," she answered in a nervous voice as if she was afraid of someone, "I need to speak right away with Nessarose, please Boq."

He nodded and let her in. She was shaking, he noticed, but it was summertime and there was no breeze.

"Are you alright, Galinda?" he asked as he led her down the hallway to where Nessa was, momentarily forgetting that she had been Lady Chuffrey for a number of years now.

"What?" asked Glinda, and then recomposed herself, "Oh, yes Biq I'm just fine."

They reached the door, Boq went in and told Nessarose who was there.

"Come in!" Glinda heard Nessa's voice as Boq opened the door for her.

Glinda entered the room and Nessa smiled at her pleasantly from her red velvet covered wheelchair. Nessa was dressed in all black, and her hair was pulled into a fierce bun. Despite not having seen her for quite some time, Glinda felt relived to be in the company of her lover's sister.

"Glinda," greeted Nessa as she had a maid wheel her to where Glinda stood, "It's been too long. How are you?"

Glinda bit her lip, trying her best to keep herself together before telling Nessa the whole story.

She noticed that Boq had not left the room, and neither had the maid that helped Nessa move over to her.

"May we converse in private, Nessa?" asked Glinda with a small smile.

Instantly Boq and the maid left her room, and it was just Glinda and Nessa.

"What is it, dear?" asked Nessa noticing that Glinda's hands had started to shake.

"Nessa, I've done something… terrible something horrible," whispered Glinda tearfully as she wrapped her arms around herself, "I need forgiveness."

Nessa smiled sadly, "The Unnamed God will always hand out forgiveness to those who ask for it, dear. Now tell me… what have you done?"

**So I know I said I wasn't going to upload again till December but I had a bad case of writers block for my NanoWriMo story and felt compelled to write more to this one. I felt like if Glinda did kill Fiyero she would go to Nessa for forgiveness. How do you think Nessa will react? I still hope that people like this story. It means a lot to me when you review and give me feedback! Something to keep me going when I come back in December... :)**

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	16. Seeking Forgiveness

Chapter Sixteen:

"You what?" shrieked Nessarose Thropp, the most calm and understanding person that Glinda had ever known. She was beyond furious. Nessa gripped the armrests of her wheelchair so hard that Glinda figured that her nails must be inches deep into the wood by now. Her friend's eyes seemed to be bulging at what Glinda had just told her.

Glinda cringed at the harshness of Nessa's tone, knowing that all this yelling was not what she anticipated Nessa saying to her.

"I already told you I-"

"Sinned!" yelled Nessarose. Her face in that moment looked horrified and disgusted, "Glinda there is no excuse for what you've done!"

Glinda hung her head low, and glanced at her feet.

"I know, but is there any way I can receive forgiveness?" the blonde asked the brunette as she tried to look into her eyes. Silence filled the room as Glinda watched Nessa's face turn from furious to thinking. She glanced at Glinda with dark eyes, "Are you really sorry?"

Her voice was like ice, like Nessa wanted nothing to do with Glinda after this was done and over with.

Glinda nodded rapidly, her blonde curls moving up and down with her head movement.

"I am," she said almost tearfully but Nessa turned away from her as if she didn't have the time or the stomach to watch Glinda cry over this.

The younger girl's eyes fell on the blonde again and she sighed.

"I just don't understand, Glinda. Why?" pressed the Eminent Thropp.

Glinda opened and closed her mouth like a gaping fish for a minute and suddenly started to cry.

"Because I'm in love with your sister!" she shrieked out, saying those words for the first time in the company of Nessarose.

Even with Glinda's blurred vision, she could still see Nessa's expression change. If Nessa had been furious just a few moments ago then she was livid right now.

Her muscles hardened and she seemed to be not moving. Air came in sharply through her nostrils like she was a fire-breathing dragon, if such things existed. Her eyes were as cold as Glinda had ever seen them.

For once in her life, Glinda was scared of Nessarose Thropp, the notorious Wicked Witch of The East.

"Nessa," said Glinda evenly once her tears were dry and she had calmed herself from the crying mess she had been a few minutes ago, "You understand something about love, don't you? I've seen the way you look at Boq…"

At the accusation the Witch Of The East turned to face Glinda and gave her a glare.

"That's different," defended Nessa in a whisper, "Our relationship is-"

"Between a man and a woman," finished Glinda with a raised eyebrow,

Nessa turned white, "Yes," she whispered back fiercely, "And that's the way it should be!"

"But who is the Unnamed God to judge what is love and what is not," said Glinda after a moment.

Nessa's mouth fell open.

She retracted and went back to a different topic, "So you killed Fiyero in a jealous rage?"

Glinda nodded, tears pooling in her eyes again but she willed herself not to cry.

"I did," she said guiltily.

Nessa now looked at the blonde in the eyes. She bit her lip, trying to form the right words she wanted to say.

"You killed him because you have feelings for my sister."

Again Glinda nodded.

Nessa snapped her head away from Glinda and muttered something to the Unnamed God.

"Nessa," Glinda took this time to say her piece and then leave, "I came here for forgiveness and yet we have talked nothing of forgiveness. Please, what do I need to do to be forgiven?" Glinda really did want to be forgiven, to be purged of this hideous sin that she herself had committed. She needed to be rid of it so it would stop haunting her.

When Nessarose said nothing and Glinda looked over to find her hands folded and her eyes shut deep in prayer, Glinda felt rage well up inside of her.

"I was told once that the Unnamed God will have mercy on anyone who asks for it, and Nessa I am asking for it!" pleaded Glinda as she reached out and placed her hands on top of Nessa's.

Nessa immediately pulled her hands away and could only stare at the blonde.

"What you have done is beyond asking for forgiveness, Glinda. What you and my sister are doing is beyond getting help. I can not and do not wish to speak with you anymore," said Nessa in a clipped voice as she started to wheel herself towards the door. Glinda stopped her and stood in front of the path.

The blonde looked desperate and her blue eyes spilled tears as she tried to convince the brunette of her needs.

"Nessa, please! I'll admit it; I murdered him! I stabbed him until he bled to death because I love your sister! I love your sister and always have since we were roommates, is that what you want to hear? I ruined her life and my own over my feelings! Just, please, tell me that everything will be okay and that I'm forgiven!" The blonde breathed heavily and her plea was unanswered as Nessa wheeled by her without so much of a protest from the blonde.

"For you Glinda, forgiveness will not be that easy," were Nessa's parting words as Glinda was left in the parlor room.

The blonde collapsed to the floor in hysterics and wrapped her shaking arms around her trembling body.

Her gasps and cries filled the room till someone knocked on the door.

"Glinda?" a confused voice came as the blonde heard footsteps and looked up to see Boq near her.

She hastily wiped her tears away with her sleeve and tried to smile at him but it was useless.

He knelt down besides her, and put a hand on her shoulder.

"Are you alright?" His eyes stared into hers and Glinda dissolved into tears again before she could answer him.

Boq looked like he wanted to wrap his arms around her but Glinda had moved away from him slightly once she began to cry again and he knew that he probably shouldn't.

"Boq!" they both heard Nessarose's shrill command.

Boq leapt to his feet, even though his face said that he would rather stay with Glinda and answered Nessa.

"Coming!"

He did not move though, which puzzled Glinda who had now calmed down and was standing up.

"Go, Boq," she said softly when she realized that he would not leave her unless she told him to, "I'll be fine, really."

After one last look, Boq left the room to attend to Nessarose.

Glinda took in a deep breath once she was left alone and felt oddly calm about what had happened. Even though this trip to Colwen Grounds hadn't been successful with being forgiven, Glinda did feel better now that she told someone what she had done.

But even as Glinda felt happy to tell someone, she felt scared.

So, she wrote Nessa a small note on her desk and hoped that the crippled brunette had enough heart to listen to her request.

_Dear Nessa_

_I know that you say that I have sinned greatly and that my forgiveness for what I've done will not be easy to get, but I urge you to please keep this between us. Please, if not for me, nor for Elphaba then for yourself. You know as well as I do that I have slightly more power than you, and I will not hesitate to free all enslaved Munchinkins from Munchkinland including Boq. I know you will think this is harsh but Nessa I promise you that if word gets out of this I fear that all of our lives will become living hells._

_I beg you, Nessa that if you should see or hear from Elphaba that you do not mention what we have conversed about. Please act as if I was never here. It will be better for both of us._

_Yours truly,_

_Glinda_

Glinda left Colwen Grounds shortly after that, and took a carriage back to the Emerald City. The next morning she arrived there, and sent a letter to Chuffrey saying that she had been on a trip for the Wizard and would be back in a few days.

It was a lie, but she figured that he would be glad to be rid of her for a few more days. After they had left things a day ago, Glinda didn't know if she was ready to face him just yet.

The busy streets of the city greeted Glinda as she wandered through them aimlessly with her hooded black cloak around her shoulders and head, trying to think. The words that she and Nessa had exchanged seemed to play over and over again in her head. The cool winter winds had now made their way from the Vinkus down to the City, and Glinda felt the temperature change from Colwen Grounds to here.

The colors of the streets and people seemed to blend together for Glinda just like the night that she had found Elphaba in the Corn Exchange.

As she passed the old building she resisted in every way possible to go in there and see if Elphaba was there.

"She won't be there, you fool," whispered Glinda to herself as she took one last look and moved on to a different street.

By nightfall Glinda had figured out what she was doing. She now stood in front of an ornately architecturally decorated granite church as small snowflakes began to fall. The specks of white fell on her black cloak and her skin but it did not matter to Glinda. She was going to get forgiveness one way or another.

After she was done thinking, Lady Glinda Chuffrey or Glinda the Good entered the Chapel of her namesake, the Chapel Of Saint Glinda.

**So I'm having horrible writer's block for my other story, the NanoWriMo one so I keep coming back to this story. At least I'm writing, right? Anyways I have a great idea for the next few chapters of this so don't be surprised if you find me uploading next week. :) Hope everyone is well. Please review because it would make me smile and lately I haven't been having a good week...**

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	17. The Story Of Saint Aelphaba

Chapter Seventeen:

The gleam from the numerous candles in the church seemed to transfix Lady Glinda as she entered in the church that was technically built in her honor. She hadn't needed to knock for the door was open as if someone had known that she was going to be here.

Groups of maunts in their dark clothes seemed to float in and out of open doorways, going from this private chapel to that private chapel. But one of them did notice Glinda, and made her way to her.

"Greetings, stranger," said the maunt who looked as if she was about Glinda's age with dark hair pulled into a bun. Her hands took Glinda's in welcome and the maunt's dark eyes looked into Glinda's. Immediately the maunt recognized her and suddenly and quite oddly became more formal.

She let go of Glinda's hands and curtseyed.

"Lady Glinda, my apologizes for not greeting you properly. This lighting makes it so hard to see people's faces," said the maunt in nervousness.

"It's quite alright, Sister-" Glinda trailed off letting the girl finish her sentence.

"Sister Revinkins, Lady Glinda."

Glinda smiled at her, "It's nice to meet you, Sister Revinkins."

The maunt seemed to calm down and she smiled pleasantly back at Glinda.

"This is an unexpected visit, Lady Chuffrey. If we had known you were coming we would have prepared something for you," said Sister Revinkins.

"Oh, no," said Glinda softly, "I don't want that."

The maunt looked at her curiously, "Then if you don't mind me asking, why are you here?"

Glinda gulped. It was a perfectly reasonable question but Glinda was not sure how to word the answer.  
"I feel," Glinda started off slowly, "compelled to help the citizens of Oz. I want to do good things, make sure that I am helping my Oz."

"A very good political answer," observed Sister, "But what is your real reason?"

Glinda sighed as she realized that Sister Revinkins was a tough woman to get lies by.

"Well, I guess that I came here for forgiveness," answered Glinda truthfully. Sister Revinkins merely narrowed her eyes.

"What-ever do you-" she began to say when a few maunts passed by and gave her a look, sending her back into her requirements when speaking with Lady Glinda or anyone of importance.

"Forgiveness will always be here when you need it, Lady Chuffrey," said the maunt with some difficulty for she really did want to know what the woman would have said to her question.

"Thank you," said Glinda as she looked around at the age ranging maunts around her. The cloister was dark and dreary with the tunes of old hymns being sung in the chapels.

"So what exactly would you like to do?" asked Sister Revinkins as she led Lady Glinda across the foyer into one of the chapels. Glinda pondered over what her options were.

"Well," she began, "Charity work does provide such a nice rush of good feelings, maybe I could help out with the children's ward or with the sick and dying."

Sister Revinkins nodded with an understanding look on her face.

"Yes," she said, "Charity will do that to people. We sisters do it out of the goodness of our hearts." She slid a glance at Glinda with a smile.

"Well I love to help," said Glinda cheerily sending Revinkins a gracious and dazzling smile.

"Good," said Sister Revinkins, "But if you don't mind accompanying me to Mass before we discuss details, then I won't be late again."

"Oh, of course," said Glinda, even though she felt a bit out of place in her green dress in the midst of all the maunts and nuns. Both Sister Revinkins and Glinda made their way to a pew in the candle-lit chapel from the foyer. The stained glass windows reflected the lights in all different directions, sending a rainbow of light every-where Glinda looked. For a moment she felt happy, and a warm feeling rose up inside of her that she hadn't felt in ages. But as quickly as the feeling came, it left her body as she felt a cool breeze flow through the chapel.

In her heavy black clothes Sister Revinkins barely seemed to notice the change in temperature.

The maunts hummed some strange tune as they assembled in the pews ahead of Glinda and Sister Revinkins.

Not one who had considered herself a devout Lurlinist Glinda felt quite out of place with the maunts inside the chapel. After all, their duties consisted of praying and devoting their time to the Unnamed God and Lurline, and Ozma if any of them believed she was coming back.

She leaned over towards Sister Revinkins and asked quietly, "Is this hymns or prayers or something else?"

Sister Revinkins had a faint smile on her young face, "Passages about the tale of Saint Aelphaba."

Glinda's breath stopped short. It was if all the irony in the world of Oz had come together and blasted her mistakes right back into her face. Glinda struggled to remain passive.

"Oh," she managed in a quiet voice as the rest of the congregation of maunts took their seats, Glinda and Sister Revinkins following momentarily.

The songs had now ended, and some maunt was up at the altar preaching about the legend of Saint Aelphaba.

Glinda twitched as her hands fidgeted in her lap. From what Glinda remembered the story of Saint Aelphaba was that the saint was some sort of mystic who went into the wilderness to become one with nature. She stripped down naked, and went through a waterfall to a cave where she ended up living. Hundreds of years later she emerged and scared all of the villagers seeing as they had came to the cave years beforehand and never noticed her. They named her a saint, and she blessed them. But then she returned to her cave and disappeared, never to be seen again. As she sat there on the uncomfortable wooden pew, Glinda thought about the differences between Saint Aelphaba and Elphaba Thropp. Well for one Elphaba hated water had some allergy to it if Glinda remembered correctly. She was no saint, though she had done nothing to cause harm yet. But it was Nessarose who devoted herself to the Unnamed God, even though Glinda didn't really want to think about either of the Thropp sisters at the moment.

Glinda sat in the chapel and really thought about this, something she hadn't done in a way since Elphaba had challenged her to do so at Shiz. She knew that Aelphaba and Elphaba were different but was there a possibility that they could be similar. Elphaba was reclusive; someone who worked better by herself and Saint Aelphaba lived in a cave where no one could find her.

Some would say that she was going crazy, but Glinda thought she was on to something. But suddenly the maunt who was speaking caught Glinda's attention, and her ears pricked up to listen.

"And there Saint Aelphaba stayed for a very long time," read the ancient maunt from one of the holy books.

The congregation recited in a ghostly whisper the next few words as it was customary, "And did she ever come out?"

The maunt looked straight at Glinda with a startling and knowing look as if she was looking straight through her soul, "Not yet," she said with a toothy grin.

**I originally had a different ending to this chapter but I really like this one. My ending for this one originally will be revealed soon enough. So what did you think of the whole Saint Aelphaba story? I made sure I had my facts right, but if I'm wrong about something let me know. I have this whole great subplot with it. :) Also who can guess who the old maunt is? That's right I decided to make Yackle a bit younger in this, just for creative purposes. Any ideas or guesses as to what might happen next?**

**Thanks for the reviews everyone!**

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	18. Mother Yackle

Chapter Eighteen:

The old maunt stared at Glinda with her creepy and haunting smile, "It seems, Sisters, that we have a guest." She nodded towards Glinda and suddenly the blonde felt numerous eyes on her.

"Lady Glinda," said the maunt in the front as she made her way slowly down the aisle towards her, "What a pleasure."

For a moment, Glinda did not know what to do. She sat there, frozen and still shocked by the words that the old maunt had just said. What in Oz did that mean?

_And there Saint Aelphaba stayed for a very long time…_

_Did she ever come out?_

_Not yet…_

Where had Glinda heard that from before? She racked her brains, trying to figure it out before reality hit her and she hastily put on a gracious smile as the old maunt finally came to her pew.

The first thought that came to Glinda's mind when she saw the maunt was that she needed moisturizer. The second thought was a realization that the woman was really just that old. Glinda stared at the endless wrinkles on her face. Her white hair seemed puffy on top of her head. Her eyes seemed hypnotic, those beady dark eyes drew Glinda's gaze towards them.

"And you are?" asked Glinda as she put her hand out in greeting.

"Mother Yackle, dearie," said the maunt as she gripped Glinda's hand tightly. The blonde grimaced at the contact but kept the smile on her face.

Sister Revinkins chose to speak up at this point, thank goodness on Glinda's part for she stumbled trying to figure out what to say next.

"Lady Glinda would like to help the orphans and the sick and dying. I asked her to attend mass with me before we went to you to discuss details."

Mother Yackle as they called her looked back and forth between Glinda and Sister Revinkins.

"How good of you, Lady Chuffrey. We thank you very much," said Yackle, her beady eyes back on Glinda's face. The stare continued on much longer than Glinda had liked, and suddenly it was as if Yackle remembered that she was still in the chapel.

"You are dismissed, Sisters," said Yackle softly as the doors opened up showing the foyer, "Go and bring fore peace into our great Oz."

The sisters all rose and exited but Yackle made a point of keeping Glinda. Sister Revinkins moved slowly, as if she distrusted Yackle with Glinda alone.

"Sister Revinkins," said Yackle when she noticed the maunt lingering in the doorway, "Will you please go treat the young woman that came in just a few days ago? I will send Lady Glinda to you with instructions in just a minute."

Almost reluctantly she left, and the doors closed as she did so.

It was just Glinda and this Mother Yackle person.

Glinda breathed slowly, and searched for dirt beneath her fingernails as a way to avoid the maunt's scary gaze.

The chapel was silent for a while, and all Glinda could hear was Mother Yackle's raspy, wheezy breathing as she stood there, one hand gripping the pew for balance.

"I know about you, Lady Glinda," said Yackle after a moment.

Glinda looked up startled from her nails but did not say a word, for what could she say to a statement like that?

"I know all about people like you," the maunt's gaze returned to Glinda and she felt its accusatory heat.

"Those who have all the money Oz can buy and yet are too air-headed to do anything smart with it! The privileged ones who can do no wrong, and somehow end up in higher positions than others who work harder than themselves. You are married to Sir Chuffrey, is that correct?"

Yackle's harsh tone carried throughout the stone chapel and Glinda nodded numbly. Never in her life had she been so harshly called out upon.

"Tell me, did you want to marry him?"

Glinda paused, and spoke for the first time since the other maunts had left.

"At the time I was seventeen, I didn't know what I wanted and what I didn't want. That's like asking a child what he or she wants to be when they grow up. It changes with the times," concluded Glinda looking at Yackle again.

Yackle stared back at her, "For a woman who does not seem to act politically correct, you speak like one."

Glinda accepted that as a compliment.

"I have my moments," said Glinda softly but firmly, "I am not who you think I am nor who people say I am."

"Clearly," said Yackle with a small smile as she now sat down next to Glinda. She slid a glance at the blonde.

"But are you a murderer?"

The question made Glinda blanch fully and her fingers started to shake. Flashes of what happened at the Corn Exchange filled her mind, and she whipped to the side to face Yackle.

Yackle to her horror was smiling as if they were talking about something completely normal.

"I-I don't know what you're talking about," stammered Glinda trying to compose herself.

A witch-like cackle erupted from the old woman causing Glinda to cringe.

"Oh, but you do dearie. You remember Fiyero Tiggular, Prince of the Arijikis? The one you brutally stabbed to death and blamed the Gale Force all because you wanted a certain green woman for yourself?"

She was waiting for an answer. But Glinda's mouth was wide open, giving away that she knew exactly what she had done in the Corn Exchange.

"How-how did you-"

Yackle scoffed as if this was a stupid question, "Mother Yackle knows everything, my dear."

Glinda stood up straight and looked at Yackle in the eye.

"And what do you want to do with that information, regardless of how you got it?"

Yackle looked at her and tutted, "You really are a pretty girl, Galinda. A pretty girl who's lost, who's trapped, one whose life has turned into a living nightmare all in one decision. Mother Yackle just wants to help the poor dearie."

"I don't need any help," said Glinda stubbornly even though it was a lie.

"Nessarose didn't exactly tell you what you wanted to hear did she?" asked Yackle gently. Glinda's eyes widened. She probably looked like a gaping fish to Yackle right now.

'No," answered the blonde softly, "She didn't."

Yackle smiled warmly and put one wrinkled hand on top of Glinda's, "You came here for forgiveness, Lady Glinda. No one but the Unnamed God and Lurline can judge you for that. I am merely being of service."

Glinda thought about that for a minute. Maybe Yackle really was trying to help. Glinda recomposed her face, smiling warmly back at the Superior Maunt.

"I'm sorry for my earlier actions, Mother Yackle," said Glinda sincerely, "I was just caught off guard. Of course I would love your help."

Yackle seemed pleased, and she looked at Glinda, "I knew you would come around, Lady Chuffrey. Now how long are you planning on staying?"

"Just a few days," said Glinda now playing with the stitching on her dress.

"That will certainly be enough time," said Mother Yackle it seemed to the air.

Glinda snapped her head to look at Yackle but the older woman gave nothing else away.

"What type of charity work would you like me to do?" asked Glinda dropping the subject of asking what it was that she meant by' that will certainly be enough time'.

"You will be working with Sister Revinkins with the sick, right now she is tending to a woman that we brought in last night. A poor ghostly woman who fell into some sort of deep sleep after she got here and hasn't woken up since." Yackle paused and looked at Glinda, "I think if you tend to her you will truly earn forgiveness, and realize what exactly you have done."

Glinda noticed that Yackle's tone had changed, "Thank you, Mother Yackle," she said politely, "Is there anything else?"

"Yes, a trip to Kiamo Ko would do you good."

Glinda frowned, "Kiamo Ko, Mother Yackle?"

Yackle nodded, "Yes, where Fiyero's widow and her five sisters and his children all live. I suggest that you go there yourself and apologize to them. That will truly give you a new conscious and a new outlook on life."

"And tell them?" exclaimed Glinda, "Tell them what I've done?"

Mother Yackle looked at Glinda seriously, "The truth will set you free, my dear," she said gravely, "You may go."

Glinda got up after a moment and left the chapel still feeling numb about the whole thing. At the doorway she turned, the door half open, and looked at Yackle.

"What we discussed will never leave this chapel, right?"

Yackle turned around and looked at her with steady eyes.

"The Unnamed God works in mysterious ways, Lady Glinda. I cannot promise you that."

Mother Yackle turned back around and started to pray, leaving Glinda halfway in the door. The blonde turned and nearly stepped on something that was near her feet when it dashed into the chapel right in front of her eyes.

Glinda could have sworn she had seen white fur like that before…

**Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I really like this chapter because I really like how I made Yackle. Anyways I put in a reference (hint hint the last sentence) to A Lion Among Men so those who don't get it don't worry it will be explained later. **

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	19. Leaving

Chapter Nineteen:

The blonde woman made her way towards the Sick ward; which was clearly labeled in one of the hallways off of the foyer. The different rooms had windows on the front and Glinda peered into each one until she found Sister Revinkins.

The woman was blocking Glinda's view of the patient as she rolled out bandages for whomever she was attending to.

Glinda opened the door, and Sister Revinkins turned to face her.

"I trust that you found me alright?" asked the maunt as she quickly returned back to the patient.

"Yes," said Glinda moving into the room and shutting the door behind her, "Can I help?"

The other woman nodded and motioned towards the back of the gray bleak room where a basket of supplies were.

"If you could just grab that for me," said Sister Revinkins as she turned her back towards Glinda.

Glinda nodded and walked past the table where the patient sat, her eyes on the basket. She picked it up and turned around, only to drop it to the floor in shock of what she saw in front of her.

Sister Revinkins were tending to a young woman, who looked about Glinda's age. The black-coiled hair was spread out all around the woman's head. The dress that she wore was black, as black as night. Blood stained gloves were discarded on the floor. Her army combat boots that the woman wore were only too recognizable.

But it was the green skin that shone as the light was cast on it that would always give her away.

"Elphie," whispered Glinda as the basket fell from her hands in numbing shock. She felt frozen to that spot and suddenly Glinda's world stopped moving.

Sister Revinkins, at the crash, looked over worriedly at Glinda.

"Lady Chuffrey, are you okay?" she asked waving a hand in front of the blonde's face. But the woman's blue eyes seemed locked on the green woman.

"Oh yes, well her skin color is not exactly one everyone sees every-day," said Sister Revinkins as she tried to put together why the blonde was so shocked. She figured it was the skin. How many people in Oz had green skin anyways?

"Where did you find her?" choked out Glinda still unable to move or to tear her eyes away from the still form of Elphaba.

"She came to us just a few days ago, I think it was Lurlinemas. Came right in through the door with blood all over her. Seemed quite distraught and she wouldn't receive prayers or anything," the sister paused, "She also had this weird thing about water when I tried to wash off the blood."

Glinda laughed slightly, "Yeah she does," she said quietly. Sister Revinkins gave her a weird look.

"Do you know who this is?" she asked sharply.

Glinda looked at her, finally able to move, and tried to cover up her outburst.

"No, I don't. I just figured with skin like that, nothing that's normal really works for her." The blonde appeared flustered, "Have you tried oil?"

The maunt nodded, "Vinkus oil works the best."

She held out a washcloth that had a sticky clear substance on it which was the oil.

"Can you wash her face for me while I go get another basket of supplies?" asked the maunt.

Glinda nodded and took the cloth. She waited until the maunt had left and shut the door to perch herself on the table and clean off Elphaba.

Her friend breathed slowly and peacefully as she lay there on the table. Glinda felt her heart lurch as she just watched Elphaba for a moment. It was as if she was in some sort of trance. She just breathed in and out when all Glinda wanted her to do was wake up. She wanted to apologize to her, to make things right.

Then Glinda put the washcloth to her brow and began to cover that beautiful emerald skin with the oil. She carefully and slowly covered Elphaba's face with it, and when she was done and she took a clean washcloth and did the same thing.

When she was done, Glinda stayed perched on the table, not wanting to move or to leave Elphaba.

In her unconscious state Elphaba's fingers twitched slightly but then they remained still. Glinda linked her own warm hands with Elphaba's still cold ones.

"Oh Elphie, how I've missed you. I'm sorry, Elphaba I am. I didn't mean to kill Fiyero. I did it out of jealousy. Please, Elphaba, please forgive me."

Tears fell on the table as Glinda began to cry. She didn't mean to cry nor had she wanted to but her feelings had overcame her.

She muffled her sobs with one hand while the other was still linked with Elphaba's.

When her tears had ceased she looked at her friend and ex lover longingly. She felt the strong urge to kiss Elphaba, much like she had so before. And this time Elphaba could not object.

Glinda whipped her head around and looked through the window in the door to see if anyone was coming, but even if they were she could just lie and say she was making sure that she was still alive. Wasn't it called mouth to mouth? Yes, it was decided that if anyone came in Glinda would say she was giving mouth to mouth, which was partially true.

Taking a sigh, she leaned downwards her blonde hair falling forwards as her lips gently touched the green woman's for what Glinda feared would be the last time.

She pressed softly and closed her eyes, savoring this moment. She knew it was wrong to kiss Elphaba and take advantage of her state but Glinda saw no other option. Once Elphaba awoke she would remember everything and Glinda would never be able to speak with her again.

She would never be able to see her again so she had to take chances and do what she could when she could.

After the blonde's lips lingering on Elphaba's for a while, she pulled away satisfied and smiled sadly to herself.

Suddenly Elphaba's brown eyes snapped open and she jerked upwards in a panic.

"Fiyero!" she called out in worry even though her eyes were looking straight at Glinda. Glinda put both hands on her shoulders and tried to soothe her.

"Elphie, it's alright. It's okay, sweetheart don't you remember Fiyero's dead?" she tried to say those words with sympathy but she had no idea if that worked.

Elphaba's rapid breathing slowed, "I know," she said bitterly, "I know that Glinda."

Glinda felt herself shrink and she waited for Elphaba to yell at her for what she had done.

"Elphie, I know what-" started Glinda when the green woman cut her off.

"They killed him," she said angrily, "The damn Gale Force killed him, Glinda don't you remember that?"

Glinda was at a loss for words. Elphaba's words replayed in her mind but they did not make sense.

"What?" exclaimed Glinda in a voice that was barely above a whisper.

"There was blood, blood everywhere and they killed him, Glinda you told me! You tried to defend yourself and Fiyero but they killed him and locked you in your bedroom." Her eyes turned moist now but she did not cry, "I should have saved him, I should have helped both of you."

Glinda shook her head, "Shush, Elphie. It's all right, you just- you just need to rest. Here, lie back down."

Glinda helped Elphaba lie back down even though the blonde herself was quite frazzled.

Elphaba lay there and closed her eyes due to Glinda's instructions and found herself falling back asleep.

Still shocked, Glinda slid off of the table and backed away from it as if it was to attack her. She reeled from the information that she had just received and her feelings couldn't distinguish what she was feeling right now. Her body felt numb, detached as if her soul was traveling outside her body. But at the same time she felt heavy, like gravity was pulling on her harder than anything else. Her breath hitched as she tried to comprehend what Elphaba had just told her.

Her words had said it all. Elphaba didn't remember that Glinda was the one who killed Fiyero.

This should make Glinda feel happy. This way she and Elphaba could start over with no complications. But her conscious said otherwise. She knew deep down that if Elphaba didn't know than Glinda couldn't take lying to her for the rest of their lives.

So Glinda knew what she had to do.

With tears threatening to fall, she backed up to the door and turned the knob slowly, all the while her eyes on Elphie.

"I am sorry, Elphie. But I love you too much to lie to you, and you know what they say about loving someone. If you love someone than sometimes you have to leave them," whispered Glinda tearfully as she exited the room as fast as she could and walked briskly towards the foyer to leave the chapel.

Alas Sister Revinkins caught sight of the blonde leaving and stopped her.

"Lady Chuffrey, you are upset," observed the maunt as she saw tears falling down the woman's face as she put a hand on her arm, "What-ever is the matter?"

"I have to leave," said Glinda bravely.

The maunt's eyes narrowed in suspicion, "So soon? But you were expected to-"

"I know," said Glinda throatily, "But I've decided to make a journey to the Vinkus. I need to set things right."

The maunt mulled over that in silence as the blonde stood there clearly upset.

Meanwhile Glinda pondered over her actions and hoped that leaving Elphaba was the right thing to do when suddenly she remembered something.

"El- I mean the woman you have in there is pregnant, Sister. And I think it will be a boy," Glinda smiled a bit, going with the fact that the irony in this world would grant Elphaba a son to make up for the fact that the baby's father was killed, "Please take care of her and the baby."

Sister Revinkins tightened her lips at the request but said nothing and only nodded.

Glinda turned to leave and then back around.

"Oh, and by the way, Liir is a very nice name for a boy. She'd like that name. It's Vinkun."

She then left the chapel and headed out into the snow-covered city to once again go on another journey.

But this time she would have to make a trip home back to Mockbeggar first…

**What did you all think? I've noticed that not many are reviewing these days... where did all my reviewers go? I blame Chuffrey. Anyway I am up to my word count on NanoWrimo so I had some time to write. Hopefully you all liked it and will drop me a review, pretty please?**

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	20. Dreams Of Terror

Chapter Twenty:

"Where have you been?" was the first question out of Chuffrey's mouth when Glinda came into his room the next day after a whole night of traveling by carriage to get there.

She didn't expect much more than what was happening right in front of her. Chuffrey was sipping his coffee while he was looking at the newspaper all the while noticing Glinda's arrival. He hadn't even had the courtesy to make his bed; which was all crumpled and disheveled from the previous night's activities with one of the maids.

"I left a note, and sent a letter," said Glinda wearily as she walked in a bit closer towards her husband.

"Yes, but they were both very unusual. First it was off to Munchkinland then it was a charity thing, and now where are you off to?" he slid a glance at her and then went back to his paper.

"To the Vinkus. I need to go there for personal reasons," her eyes went downcast at the floor.

Chuffrey scoffed, "But you have no family there, no connections, why must you go there?"

He was mocking her again. He always mocked her. It seemed like her position, and her fake bubbly personality was all a joke to him. She always got on him about his hunting and his taste in servants though.

When she took a moment to answer, he chimed in with, "Does this have something to do with Elphaba?"

Her name sounded horrible when spoken by his voice and Glinda felt some sort of rage well up inside of her as she curled her hands into tiny fists.

"No," she half lied, "This is on matters of a friend of mine from Shiz. He died a few days ago in military service and The Wizard thought it best if I go and console his family."

Chuffrey folded over his paper to stare at her with his cold eyes. It was then that Glinda really noticed how much older Chuffrey was than her. While Glinda was in her mid-twenties and still looking quite young, Chuffrey was looking grayer and tired. Part of her felt bad for him while the other part was still glad that she was young enough to run circles around him.

"Very well, my dear," he said stiffly still looking at her, "When will you be back?"

"Why do you care?" retorted Glinda placing her hands on her hips sassily. She hadn't meant for her words to come out that way, but they had.

Chuffrey pursed his lips.

"Because we need to talk about something when you get back," he said vaguely. Glinda rolled her eyes, tired of all this vagueness.

"No, we will talk about it now."

He looked at her with a most curious expression on his face that would puzzle her till no end until she got back to Mockbeggar Hall.

"I'm afraid my dear, that this is neither the time nor place to talk about such things that we need to discuss."

He left the room without so much as another word to her, and Glinda retreated into her own room to pack for her journey.

When she was all settled and packed she called for a carriage and this time she did not leave a note for Chuffrey.

It took a good three days time to get to the Vinkus by carriage and Glinda was not looking forward to spending that amount of time cooped up in that small carriage that would make anyone claustrophobic.

In the dreariness of the trip, she sometimes fell asleep with the side of her face pressed gently against the glass. She dreamt too, mostly horrible awful dreams that plagued her during the day as well.

It was the night of her second day of traveling where Glinda fell into a deep sleep in which a horrible nightmare occurred.

_She was in a ballroom, a beautiful emerald ballroom where everything was the color green. The chairs, the ceiling, the piano, and all the dresses were green except for Glinda's._

_The blonde wore a pure white gown that was similar to her blue one except for the color. She seemed to glow compared to the rest of her guests, who seemed dull in color by comparison._

_Couples began to pair off as a waltz began to play. Glinda was left alone by on the grand staircase and she descended down slowly. As she got closer and closer to the floor, she noticed that more and more people stared at her. When she got to the bottom of the stairs the whole room had gone still and was staring at her intently. It was as if the world had stopped moving, everyone was still except for Glinda. She felt the heat of their stares and suddenly felt self-aware._

_ "Why must you all stare at me?" she asked, her voice ringing out in the silence of the ballroom._

_They turned like robots to look at one another and then back at her._

_ "Because this is what you deserve, my sweet isn't it?" That voice, it made Glinda's heart stop. It was so familiar, so rich in sarcasm but with an underlying tone of tenderness._

_Glinda craned her neck over the crowds to find the owner to that voice, desperately hoping to see her once more._

_In a flash Elphaba emerged from the crowd in a fitted homemade dress of black, her green skin duller from the years of hiding, and a Witch's hat adorned her head covering her beautiful hair that still glowed._

_ "Elphie," she whispered tenderly as she tried to make her way towards the green woman but an invisible shield stopped her. Glinda was stuck on the staircase._

_ "Elphie, why can't I move?" she cried out as she took multiple steps forward only to be knocked backwards as soon as she did so._

_ "Because you don't deserve to be with people like me, Your Goodness," sneered Elphaba as she let out a Witch-like cackle._

_ "But, Elphie-" started Glinda, hurt. But her sentence was cut off by a little girl's voice._

_ "Where is she? Where is the Wicked Witch Of The West?"_

_Suddenly a little girl appeared next to Elphaba in a blue gingham dress with a yapping dog at her heels and glistening red slippers on her feet. Her bright brown eyes stared up at Glinda's as she repeated her question._

_ "Lady Glinda where is The Wicked Witch Of The West?"_

_Glinda had no answer._

_ "I don't, I don't know child."_

_She glanced at Elphaba who cackled again._

_ "Of course you do, Glinda. Think about it my sweet. You really think they weren't going to try and make something out of me, did you? Well, too bad. My full title now is Elphaba Thropp, The Wicked Witch Of The West."_

_Glinda shook her head, "No, Elphie no you're not! You are Elphaba Thropp, and nothing else."_

_ "To you, yes. But to everyone else," Elphaba gestured to the crowds who had now begun to move and shout horrible things at Elphaba._

_ "Kill the Witch!"_

_ "Her soul is so unclean that water will melt her!"_

_ "Melt her, Dorothy!"_

_They all screamed things of that kind._

_ "No, please everyone settle down! This woman is not who you think she is!" Glinda's pleas to calm the crowd were ignored._

_The little girl suddenly had a bucket in her hands. The swishing clear water was visible to Glinda as she stood there, unable to move and frozen with fear and horror._

_ "No," she whispered as realization hit her as what was to happen, "No, please don't!"_

_She watched as the girl threw the bucket of water on Elphaba, heard the sizzling of her skin as the water came in contact with it, and watched it horror as her friend began to melt before her eyes._

_ "You deserve this, my sweet. You deserve to live while I die because you can forever wallow in your grief," said Elphaba before she melted into a puddle of green._

"ELPHABA NO!" screamed Glinda in horror as she jerked herself forwards and out of her dream. She breathed heavily for a few moments before she caught her breath.

"It was just a dream," she whispered hoarsely to herself as her hands clutched at her clothes in fear, "It was just a dream Glinda, get a hold of yourself."

The carriage lurched forward and then stopped while Glinda was still trying to get a hold on herself.

When the footmen arrived to help her out of the carriage, she was still a bit frazzled.

"What is it? Why have we stopped?" she asked suddenly and worriedly.

"We have arrived early, Lady Chuffrey," said one of the footman as he extended out a hand to her, "We are here at Kiamo Ko."

Glinda swallowed and took his hand. She disembarked the carriage and looked up into the night sky to see a great looming castle in front of her.

"Here goes nothing," she said to herself as she began the walk to the front gates of the castle.

**Just a bit of foreshadowing for Glinda in this chapter, mainly because I am watching The Wizard of Oz right now since it is on TV. I am excited to see how Sarima and Glinda will interact. What do you guys think will happen? Will there be a fight? **

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	21. Trying

Chapter Twenty-One:

Moments later she knocked on the door of the beautifully made castle to be greeted by a woman dressed in all black.

"Who are you?" she asked rudely and Glinda was taken back by her tone.

She held her chin high and looked at her straight in the eyes.

"Lady Glinda Chuffrey."

At once the woman's face turned humiliated and she covered her heart with her hand.

"Oh, dear I am so sorry," she apologized and suddenly curtseyed.

"Our sister Sarima was expecting the Gale Force to come, and I couldn't really see your face, Lady Chuffrey," explained the woman.

"Quite all right," lied Glinda even though she was slightly annoyed that no one could recognize her.

"Please, Lady Chuffrey do come in," said the woman as she opened the door to allow the blonde entrance. Glinda walked in and was amazed by the carvings and the architecture of the castle. She stared at the stones in wonder.

"I will call for Sarima, she is the one you want to speak with, yes?"

Glinda nodded, her eyes never leaving the interior of the house.

A few minutes later, Glinda heard footsteps and looked down to see a full figure coming down the spiral staircases.

"Lady Chuffrey, so we meet at last," said Sarima as she emerged from the darkness and held out a hand to Glinda. Glinda shook it and then pulled her hand away. Her eyes studied Sarima; she seemed young enough but was nothing at all like she had pictured when Fiyero had told her and her friends about her back at Shiz. First off she was larger than normal women, but her face was flawless and purely white in complexion. Her dirty blonde hair was kept in a loose bun, and her brown eyes held a glint of malice in them as she looked at Glinda.

Sarima managed a smile at Glinda as she stood there in a dress of deep black. A black veil was covering part of her face as well.

"Sarima, I have come here to-"

Sarima held up her hand, "I know why you have come, Lady Glinda. Fiyero talked so much about you; I am not surprised to see you here. You were good friends with him, weren't you?"

Sarima's tone was cold and mocking, almost as if she suspected something of Glinda.

And even though her voice displayed coldness and hatred her eyes remained the same, with that gentle hint of malice and grief.

"I was, but that's not what I came here to talk about," said Glinda quickly before Sarima could get another word in edgewise.

She turned to the woman next to her, "Six would you mind leaving us alone and tending to the children?"

Six as she was called left almost reluctantly and disappeared as she climbed one of the numerous staircases in the house.

"Now then, what did you come here to talk about? Did you come here to grieve, to cry, or to confess something?"

Her eyes slanted as she waited for Glinda's answer.

The public figure swallowed hard, "I came here to confess something, but it's not what you think!"

Sarima did not look the least bit interested or impressed, in fact she looked slightly bored.

"Do you think that I am simple, Lady Chuffrey?" she said with her voice louder than normal and undertones of irritation running through it, "I know why you came here! You are the glamorous Galinda that my husband talked about so fondly, the one who dazzled him with your looks, and your charm-"

"Sarima, please I didn't-"

"Hush! I am not finished yet," commanded Sarima and Glinda fell silent.

"You, the great Lady Glinda were found with blood spattered all over you and with my husband dead by your side in that little lover's nest. Don't you dare even think for a second that I don't know why you are here."

Sarima's face turned furious, as she got closer to Glinda, who was for some reason very much intimidated by her.

"I suspected this affair between you and him longer than you dare realize, Lady Chuffrey. Do not try and say that you are here for a different reason."

"But I am-" started Glinda.

"I said don't," snapped Sarima, her face flushed and finally losing her composed nature, "I will not have you lying to me when I know the truth."

"But if you could just listen to me," begged Glinda.

But Sarima turned away from her and began up the steps towards her private compartments.

"I will hear no more of your stories, Lady Chuffrey. I am tired, my husband is dead, and I wish to grieve. If you could please have the decency to kindly leave me alone…"

"No, I came here to tell you something and Ozdamn it I will say my piece and you will listen to me," shouted Glinda and her words stopped Sarima dead in her tracks. She whirled around with her hands on either side of the stonewall.

Her lips were pursed together tightly and she uttered the words, "Fine, say what you must. But I won't believe a word of it."

Glinda took a breath and looked at Sarima with steeliness in her eyes that she had never used before.

"I killed him. I killed Fiyero in a jealous rage because he was having an affair with a friend of mine. I stabbed him to death because- well because of my own selfish wants and ambitions."

After saying her piece Glinda waited for Sarima's reaction.

The Dowager Princess of Kiamo Ko stood there on the steps of her staircase silent and still. Her eyes seemed locked on Glinda as she thought of what she could say to such a confession as one Glinda had just given her.

"Why exactly did you kill him?" she asked, "and this does not mean that I believe what you are saying," she was quick to add in afterwards.

Her question threw the other blonde off guard.

"What do you mean?" asked Glinda her brow furrowing.

"What drove you to do it? You said that you did it in a jealous rage? Are you saying that he was cheating on you with one of your friends?"

Glinda was conflicted. She didn't know if she wanted to oust her secret to such a woman. She wasn't so sure that she wanted to tell Sarima if she, the Glinda the Good, preferred the company of women to men. Well it was more just one woman, but the female sex overall.

"I am afraid that I really don't know what drove me to do it. But I am so sorry," she said softly. And Glinda really did not so the answer was the truth.

Sarima scoffed and rolled her eyes.

"Then you have no real proof and nothing to prove to me, so your visit here was for nothing. It has not changed my mind nor eased it."

"I am sorry for that, but that is the truth. It is not up to me whether you accept it as such or not."

She turned to leave, feeling humiliated and wretched with herself than ever before.

"Lady Chuffrey," said Sarima.

The blonde woman turned in her dress to look at the owner of the castle.

"I still strongly suspect that your vile husband killed Fiyero and will not change my opinion or reasons because of your visit here. You have done nothing but convince me even more that you were carrying on an affair with Fiyero and that your husband hired people to kill him… I do hope you were satisfied with what you and him shared."

Sarima's voice carried on into silence and Glinda could sense that the other woman had thought she had won.

"Oh, don't worry my dear," said Glinda tightly and she said this just to annoy the other woman for she felt no pity towards, "I am…"

She glanced back to see Sarima's face turn shocked and horrified and Glinda smirked to herself as she let herself out of the castle.

She returned to the carriage after a few minutes walk.

"Are we leaving so soon, Lady Chuffrey?" asked the footman, "We've only just arrived and-"

"I'm afraid that my business here is done, and I would like to return home if you please," she said lightly as she helped herself into the carriage and relaxed in its privacy and luxury.

As Kiamo Ko faded out of her sight, Glinda felt a slight pang of remorse.

But she had done it, she had told Sarima the truth and by just saying that to her Glinda felt so much better. She wondered what lay ahead for her once she returned….

**I really liked how Glinda and Sarima argued in this chapter. See, even then she wouldn't give anyone forgiveness. Next chapter should be up soon. oh IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT: I FINISHED NANOWRIMO 2 days ago! yay!**

**Review please?**

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	22. Back Home

Chapter Twenty-Two:

Glinda arrived back at Mockbeggar Hall in another few days time to find the house empty. Chuffrey left her a note saying that they would talk when he got back and that he had a very important meeting with the ambassador of Quadling Country.

"Typical," muttered Glinda as she pulled off her gloves and crumpled up the note in frustration. She was in her room admiring the things that Chuffrey bought her. Glinda always had a fascination with new things, whether it was people or inanimate objects. Anything that was out of the norm for the blonde interested her.

Exhausted and weary from her journey Glinda laid down on her bed and closed her eyes for a moment, still in her dress.

In her thoughts she wondered what Elphaba was going through back at the mauntery. Was she awake or still in that coma like sleep? Maybe this time when she awoke she would remember that Glinda was the one who killed Fiyero and not the Gale Force? Or maybe she wouldn't?

The endless possibilities made Glinda restless and she found herself awake more times than asleep during her catnap. Irritated that her thoughts would not let her rest she sat up and pursed her lips. A hand ran through her golden locks and she sighed.

"Maybe it was a bad idea to leave her," said Glinda to herself about Elphaba. She wondered what would become of Elphaba and her baby.

"You should go see her," said Glinda to no one but herself suddenly.

She bit her lip as she considered it. That would mean seeing that Yackle woman again and she gave Glinda the creeps for some unknown reason.

Glinda shook her head, "No, no that's a bad idea."

She could just imagine how bad it would be if Elphaba was awake and she remembered. Glinda was pretty sure that Elphaba would literally kill her. Glinda sighed again and felt horrible with herself. She made her way towards her bathroom and began rummaging through her medicine cabinet. She needed something to make her sleep because she hadn't slept in literally a week.

Her fingers briefly touched each pill bottle as her eyes scanned their labels. Finally she found one of her choice, and popped off the top.

Glinda read the label and found that she was only supposed to take two pills. Ignoring the label and figuring that she was so tired it wouldn't really do anything bad to her body if she took four pills, Glinda got a glass of water and swallowed down the four pills two at a time. She screwed the top back on and put it in the drawer of her nightstand table just in case.

Suddenly feeling the affects of the drugs, Glinda climbed into bed and her world was dizzy. When she finally drifted off to sleep, a calm feeling filled her and Glinda found herself in a dreamless state of blackness.

_The first thing Glinda smelt when the blackness took over was smoke, coal made smoke that seemed to fill her nostrils and made her cough. When her sight was returned she was standing on an icy platform wearing a black gown. A train could be heard chugging along the metal tracks as the blonde woman stood there. Slow, hesitant steps of her own feet could be heard crunching in the snow-covered platform as she made her way towards the tracks. Her ears were filled with the sound of the train whizzing, and she suddenly felt her body go cold as her eyes traveled to the tracks._

_There, lying on the tracks was Elphaba. She wasn't moving, she was as still as the grave though she was not dead. Her chest moved up and down slowly as if she was in some sort of train. Glinda looked back up and saw that the train was now in station. In a few moments, Elphaba would be crushed and likely killed._

_"ELPHABA!" screeched Glinda as she reached the tracks but she found she could not go further. It was like her other dream. Glinda could not move, and she was forced to watch as the train came fast now._

_Her lips quivered in horror and her eyes burned by the fast, hot tears that traveled down her face. She closed her eyes as she heard the train run over Elphaba, and started sobbing. Dropping to her knees, the blonde's vision was blurred by her tears that just kept falling. Her heart felt like someone had ripped it into two as she cried. To Glinda, as she slowly came back into consciousness this dream was worst than the last one…_

Her fingers twitched slightly as Glinda felt a far away voice calling her name.

"Glinda, Glinda, wake up!" said a voice as a hand shook her shoulder.

But Glinda didn't want to wake up. The darkness wouldn't let her. All she wanted to do is drift off into more sleep. The darkness was pulled away from her as Glinda became aware of her surroundings again and slowly opened her eyes.

A blurry vision greeted her at first and then her eyes adjusted to see that Chuffrey was standing next to her with one hand on her shoulder.

"What is it?" she asked hoarsely as she tried to sit up, but a wave of dizziness overcame her and she fell back on the bed, closing her eyes again. That dream had shaken her quite a bit.

"The maids were worried when they tried to wake you up three hours earlier and they couldn't so when I came home they asked me to check up on you." His eyes narrowed at her, "Are you alright? You look extremely pale."

Though Glinda felt that she was pale and faint, she thrust a smile on her face at him, "I'm fine of course, just tired from my journey."

Chuffrey took his hand from her shoulder and watched as she sat up unsteadily.

He seemed to know exactly what was going on for he asked, "Did you take something?"

She looked at him quizzically, trying to hide her true colors, "No, of course not," she dismissed.

Without another word Chuffrey disappeared into her bathroom and Glinda heard him go through her medicine cabinet. She was just about to say something to him when he returned looking quite cross with her.

"The sleeping pills are missing," he stated, "Did you take them, Glinda?"

Rage welled up inside of the blonde, how dare he go through her cabinet like that, like he had the right!

"Fine, I did and I plan on keeping them. I can't sleep Chuffrey, I need them."

Her husband looked at her, "Does this have something to do with what happened in the Vinkus? Or what happened with Fiyero?"

Glinda avoided his gaze and her hands wrung in worry and nervousness, "No," she said quietly and softly. Her stomach churned horribly at the questions and Glinda felt as if the truth would come out in a slip up if she said anything more. Her hands began to shake as she guessed a side effect of taking too many pills. But it had been worth it, while she had slept not once had she dreamt of Elphaba. Glinda knew it was wrong, but it was working.

"This may come as a shock to you, Glinda," said Chuffrey as his eyes looked to her face, "But I do care about you. I don't want you to become an alcoholic, drug-abusing woman who is in love with a freak of nature. You deserve much more than that my dear."

His words repeated in her head and Glinda found herself becoming angry at what he had said.

"If you did care about me than you wouldn't have made my life a living hell! You are the one who drove me to the alcohol and the drugs, if you had just let me be with Elphaba, just let me have my moment of happiness then neither of us would be in this position!" she snapped at him.

Her head suddenly felt like it was spinning and she put a hand to it to try and stop the motion. Her eyes closed for a few minutes before it passed.

"Besides, you don't care about me, and everyone knows it," she muttered. Her mouth felt dry and she felt sick, like she was suffering from a fever of some sorts.

"I'm sorry you feel that way," was all her husband said before he left the room.

Glinda was left to herself again, and she felt weepy. Tears began to stream down her face but she did not know exactly why. But one thing Glinda knew for certain. Glinda would never be really happy unless she was with Elphaba….

**The next chapter will skip ahead a few years to Nessa's death. Hope everyone is doing well. I promise to upload more this week. :)**

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	23. Beyond Hallucinations

Chapter Twenty-Three:

Ten Years Later…

Glinda came back to Mockbeggar Hall after a very tiring and long day. She walked into the foyer and was immediately bombarded with questions from Chuffrey.

"Is it true? Is Nessarose Thropp really dead?" he asked.

Glinda met his gaze and she sighed. Putting both of her small hands on her hips in a glittering blue gown she answered him.

"Yes, she's dead. I saw what was left of her myself."

"What exactly happened?" asked Chuffrey as he followed Glinda as she made her way to her bedroom.

But Glinda didn't want to answer him; she didn't want to tell him what she had seen. A lump was forming in her throat as her eyes turned watery and her heart began to break. She didn't know why, but she was upset about this whole thing.

"She was crushed by a flying house," answered Glinda thickly. Her hand reached the doorknob to her bedroom. Suddenly she felt Chuffrey's hand on her shoulder.

"While you were gone, the Wizard sent someone over to say that he wants to speak with you."

Glinda sighed hard. She felt exhausted and really did not feel like dealing with the Wizard today. She didn't even want to think about what the Wizard could possibly want to talk with her about right now. Probably about Nessarose, or maybe worse… Glinda's heart ached as she thought of the next possibility maybe he wanted to talk about Elphaba. Glinda had heard about the awful rumors that the citizens of Oz had been spreading about Elphaba, or commonly known as The Wicked Witch Of The West. It had been hard on her heart and memories to hear what they had to say about her. With each new harsh rumor Glinda had taken more and more pills. It had gotten so bad that she had blacked out a few times in her bedroom and stayed that way for hours.

"Glinda?" Chuffrey's voice snapped her back into reality.

"What?" she asked sharply, putting a hand to her head as a dull ache began in her temples.

"What happened at the Center Munch?"

The girl with the blue and white-checkered dress, the yapping dog, the scared Munchkins all came back to Glinda's mind. Suddenly the blonde felt sick and her stomach churned.

"I really don't want to talk about it," finalized Glinda as she opened the door and went inside her room. She slammed the door behind her and leaned against it. She crushed the glittering fabric of her dress against the wood. She breathed in and out unevenly. Her hands found her twinkling tiara on her head and Glinda tore it out of her curls and threw it on the floor, disgusted with herself and the life she lived. The tiara shattered, the diamonds and silver flying everywhere.

"Glinda? What's going on in there?" she heard Chuffrey call out. But as usual Glinda ignored him. She wanted to tear off her beautiful dress and gouge out her own eyes at the sick feeling that was passing through her body. One more friend dead, whose to say that there won't be more dying in the future?

"Glinda if you don't answer me, I'm coming in there!"

Let him come, thought Glinda bitterly, and maybe then he'll actually fool himself and me included into thinking that he cares about me.

"Go away!" cried out the blonde in a cracked voice. Her world felt like it was spinning round and round and she was powerless to stop it. Mistakes that she had made in the past with Fiyero, with Elphaba just might come back to haunt her.

She feared what would happen next. What would Elphaba do once she's learned of Nessa's death? Glinda figured that she probably would come to Colwen Grounds to visit her father, but what if Elphaba took the drastic approach to this? What if she decided to kill this Dorothy Gale child? It was true that Glinda had given the child Nessa's shoes as protection, mostly because she didn't want to deal with Nessa's supporters fighting over them. But what if Elphie took the gesture the wrong way? An even worse thought popped into Glinda's head, what if Elphaba came after her for revenge? Too preoccupied with her own thoughts, Glinda did not see that Chuffrey had came barging in, in fact she kept staring ahead in her own little trance.

In her mind, right in front of her eyes it seemed that Elphaba was standing there. She looked truly wicked with her homemade spun black dress, her emerald green skin gleaming with anger, her eyes which were once warm and gentle towards the blonde were harsh and cold, and her black hair was concealed by a witch's hat.

"You!" she snarled with one curved green finger point at Glinda, "You traitor, Glinda! How could you do this to me, to Nessa? To Fiyero?"

Glinda's mouth quivered terribly as she tried to answer her. But Elphaba looked at her, her dark eyes glinting with satisfaction.

"Yes, Glinda… I remember everything. I remember what happened at the Corn Exchange, how you killed Fiyero just because you were jealous of him. I remember, and I'll make sure that you're punished for it."

"Elphie, please!" pleaded Glinda putting her shaking hands in front of her face as if to protect herself, "I'm sorry! Please don't hurt me."

A fireball was produced in Elphaba's hand as she shook her head, "Don't worry my sweet. This will hurt just a bit."

She looked like she was about to strike when Glinda felt a hand slap across her face.

The blonde closed her eyes and breathed in heavily, scared to death to open them and see the never-ending blackness that she pictured Death to be like.

"Glinda, open your eyes, will you?" demanded Chuffrey.

Hands trembling, Glinda cautiously opened her eyes one at a time. Her sight searched for any sign of Elphaba but the image that her mind had created was gone.

Relief flooded into the blonde like oxygen. Her whole body relaxed as she realized that it had just been a bad hallucination, one much worse than any previous ones she had been having.

"No more pills anymore," said Chuffrey softly but firmly as he disappeared into her medicine cabinet, and took all of her medicine away.

He stood at the doorway as he was leaving, "A carriage will await for you in a few moments to take you to see the Wizard."

Then he left her alone to pick up the pieces of her broken soul and spirit before she left to go see the Wizard.

**I'm sorry if this chapter is not the greatest. it's more of a filler for the next chapter. Elphaba and Glinda finally reunite, but will Elphaba really remember what happened at the Corn Exchange? Also I would like to take this time to remind you all to send in your nominations for the Sixth Annual WickedGreg Awards. It's hosted by bluediamondsonagreenfield and I'm super excited to participate this year! As anyone who has won a 'legit' award would say, it's an honor just to be nominated. :)**

**Hope you are all having a very merry holiday!**

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	24. Unexpected Threats

Chapter Twenty-Four:

The Throne Room greeted Glinda as she walked into the Palace where the Wizard stood, waiting for her.

"Your Ozness," said Glinda politely as she quickly curtseyed to him. She stood back up and looked at him straight in the eyes.

"Glinda," he said.

She stared at him, her blue eyes looking at the aging skin on his face. He was nearly bald now but his eyes still sparkled with some emotion that Glinda could never figure out.

"It's good to see you," he said with a pleasant smile, "I heard you were the first one on the scene when the Witch died."

Glinda's heart ached as she answered, "Yes, I was."

"And you made sure she was dead before you left?" he asked as he smoothed out the wrinkles on his tweed jacket.

Glinda nodded, "Yes," she said hoarsely. She did not want to think about it. She was going to be sick again if he talked about it more.

The Wizard apparently noticed her expression change for he said, "Are you alright?"

Glinda didn't meet his eyes, but she did nod, her blonde curls bobbing up and down as she did so.

"I also heard that you sent the little girl, Dorothy, to come and see me for advice," by the tone of his voice Glinda could tell that he wasn't too happy that she had done that.

"Yes," she replied in a trembling voice. Her hands twitched as they were linked together in front of her. Her fingers twisted around each other in anticipation of what the elder man would say to her. "I did. But I can assure you that it was out of desperation, Your Ozness. The followers of Nessarose would have been in an uproar if the girl stayed in Munchkinland, and besides I thought you knew the place called Canzis where the girl hails from."

The lines on the Wizard's face creased in thought as emotions passed through his face.

"Did you say Kansas, Lady Glinda?" he asked, his brown eyes staring into her blue eyes.

She nodded, "Yes, it that how it pronounced?"

He nodded and he suddenly seemed very far away, distant almost.

"Your Ozness, are you alright?" asked Glinda after a while as she watched as the man stood still.

He moved a bit after that, and he stared at her.

"Yes, yes, I am quite alright. I just never thought-" he trailed off just as Glinda found herself interested in what he was saying.

But he changed the subject quickly, and the traces of what he had been feeling earlier fled his face.

"The other thing, my dear, that I wanted to discuss with you is something of the up-most importance."

Her stomach churned in nervousness. She didn't like the sound of that.

"Yes," she said hesitantly.

The Wizard looked at her briefly and then snapped his fingers. A white cat emerged from behind his 'Wizard of Oz' robot thing and trotted along until it was standing next to the old man.

"I believe that you are acquainted with my spy Cat," said the Wizard a bit darkly.

Glinda's eyes did not leave that white fur as she remembered where she had seen this Cat. It had been at the Corn Exchange with Elphaba, and then at the mauntery with Yackle.

"I-I don't understand," stammered out Glinda. She truly didn't. Why did the Wizard have a spy Cat?

"Your husband with the encouragement of Madame Morrible employed me after the incident at Shiz with the baby to spy on Elphaba. I was to report everything I saw back to Yackle and not the Wizard so you wouldn't be suspicious," said the Cat; which greatly startled the blonde.

Her mouth turned dry and she didn't know what to do. Fearful, her slender hands began to shake as fear and adrenaline coursed through her body.

"I-I-I," she couldn't even get sentences out.

The Wizard cut her off softly, "Now, Glinda. What the Cat has told me… has greatly disturbed me. He told me everything… about what happened at the Corn Exchange and what happened at the Mauntery." He seemed to take pity on her for his eyes grew gentle.

"Elphaba is a menace to society, Glinda. She is trying to destroy everything Oz holds dear. She is trying to destroy out way of life, yours and mine. We can't let her do that. And some of us," he said pointedly, "can't let our emotions and feelings get in the way of that."

"She's not, she's not a menace!" protested Glinda, her voice shaking so hard she could barely understand herself.

The Wizard looked down at the Cat and made sympathetic noises.

"My dear, I'm going to tell you what I am going to tell this Dorothy child when she gets here, and you better listen good and not interrupt me. I'm going to tell Dorothy to get rid of The Wicked Witch once and for all. I don't care how she does it, but Elphaba must be dead before the girl can return home."

Glinda felt her knees go weak as the blood drained for her face. Her body quivered as the news sunk in. She didn't even have time to squeak out anything before the Wizard continued.

"And I have gathered from my information from 'Malky' that the Witch is allergic to water. I might just have to add that in there when I'm talking to the girl. Now, Glinda dear, listen. You may go and see Elphaba, Yackle already prophesized that you would, but you will not breathe a word about her murder to her, do you understand? If you do there will be grave consequences in your future…" The Wizard for once in Glinda's life was threatening and everything that Elphaba had said that he was.

"She hasn't done anything to harm anyone!" cried out Glinda.

Malky shook his furry head, "Oh yes, she has. She killed Madame Morrible yesterday. Who's to say who she'll kill next?"

"Elphie is not a murderer!" shouted Glinda. The blonde soon found that an excess of water was filling up her eyes but she willed herself not to cry, not in front of these people.

"My dear child, please don't be upset and don't do anything rash. You have to accept the fact that Elphaba will be dead within a few days time and there is nothing you can do to stop it." The Wizard turned away from her and sent Malky back on his way.

Glinda's eyes were brimming with tears as sobs shuddered through her body. She'd wished that she had taken some painkillers before she had left, her heart was splitting and the pain was just unbearable.

"I. Will. Stop. You," exclaimed Glinda passionately, each word breaking in her voice.

"Now, Glinda we both know that I am way too powerful for you to do that. Besides, think of what you'd being giving up if you stopped me. Your husband, your money, your career, the people's adoration of you," he paused and glanced at her sideways, "Your own life," he concluded sinisterly.

"You'd kill me?" Glinda's voice grew higher at the end and disbelief was in the question.

The Wizard looked at her, "Yes, I would. What's one more powerful witch dead going to do for Oz? It will just strengthen my power."

"You are a disgusting man," uttered Glinda reproachfully as her gaze seared into his evenly.

"And you, my dear, are a poor excuse of a 'good' witch with your behavior towards that green freak," said the Wizard.

Silence stirred between them.

"I suggest you leave now, Lady Glinda and mark my words, Elphaba will be dead in no-time."

"Not if I have anything to do with it," said Glinda once she reached the doorway out of the room. She slammed the door behind her.

Wiping away her tears, she conjured up a bubble and headed to the one place she knew in her heart that Elphaba would be right now. And that was with her father at Colwen Grounds.

**I know, I know I said that this chapter would be reuniting Glinda and Elphaba but this chapter had a mind of its own and took off on me! So I PROMISE the next chapter will be Elphaba and Glinda. On a side note, I've always depicted the Wizard as a manipulative man considering how he never told the citizens of Oz that he was not powerful and went along pretending he was, so his characterization in this did not seem OOC (especially if I'm going by bookverse) but anyways I hoped you still liked it. **

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	25. Tears

Chapter Twenty-Five:

Glinda landed on the ground softly, tears still threatening to fall from her eyes. She wiped the moisture away with her fingers, and then wiped her fingers on her light blue sparkling gown, not even caring that she was getting it potentially dirty. She needed to speak with Elphaba quickly.

She strode through the lawn to see a well-built mansion in her sights. Using her name and title, Glinda achieved access to roam about and with that she asked where Elphaba Thropp was to one of the servants. They directed her to the gardens outside. As she approached the two figures she could see in the gardens, she felt her heart become heavy. Her eyes remained glued to that stunning green skin as she walked closer and closer. Oh had she missed that skin. She realized in that moment just how much of Elphaba she had missed.

Soon Elphaba's eyes looked up and met Glinda's. The blonde stopped dead in her tracks, she had reached where Elphaba and her father were sitting. Her heart pounded in her chest and an array of emotions built up inside of her. Those eyes felt like they were staring into her soul.

Elphaba stood up suddenly and smoothed out her dress, "Lady Glinda," she said a bit too formally.

"Oh, Elphaba I knew you'd be here!" said Glinda cheerfully. She had to put on a fake façade for now. Once she and Elphaba were alone, then she would tell her the truth but for now it was safe to pretend nothing was going on.

For a brief moment, Glinda wondered if Elphaba still did not remember what happened at the Corn Exchange. It was clear though, by her warm smile that she still did not remember. Glinda did not know whether that was a blessing or a curse.

"Is that your father?" asked Glinda pointing a finger at the old man who had fallen asleep on the hammock. The breeze that had suddenly started up brought upon the sway of the weeping willows.

Elphaba nodded, "Come," she said taking a hold of Glinda's arm, "Let's walk through the gardens." Glinda's heart fluttered as she felt Elphaba's hand on her arm. A small smile broke across the blonde's face.

Elphaba took notice of Glinda's outfit, which was the glittering blue ball gown she had tailored specifically for her.

"Glinda, you and your dresses," mused Elphaba with a shake of her head, "You're going to blind somebody one day with your sparkles and sequins."

"One day, but not yet," said Glinda with a laugh as they made their way to the gardens.

Glinda was nervous, very, very nervous. She just wanted to burst into tears and collapsed into Elphaba's arms, all while explaining to her what the Wizard was planning.

"I heard you were there, the first one to see what had happened," said Elphaba gravely as they walked along through the dirt pathways.

There were no specifics that needed to be said. Glinda knew exactly what Elphaba was talking about; she expected this to be the first question out of her mouth.

Glinda nodded, "I was, and Elphie don't worry she went quickly." Her mind brought back images of the mangled feet that she had seen, and Glinda shuddered, "I mean as quickly as one can for getting conked on the head. And there was no blood, I was quite glad of that."

She answered quickly, for she wanted to get to the point of why she had come.

A long pause came before Elphaba asked another question. Glinda guessed that her mind was still processing it; it was after all a terrible shock to anyone including Elphaba.

"What about the inhabitants of the house?"

Glinda paled, "Oh the girl Dorothy and the dog… Tata or Toto something like that. Oh, Elphie they were harmless little things! Though I did want to smother that dog a few times…"

Repeated sounds of that dog barking made Glinda tense up in irritation but Elphaba didn't seem to notice. They wanted along the path, gazing at the various roses and bushes in the gardens. Glinda was bursting at the seams. She was nervous, scared, and felt a bit faint in the summer's heat. She just wanted to tell Elphaba what the Wizard was planning to do and face the consequences.

"I heard that she and a little bunch of companions are off to see the Wizard. Is it true that you sent her off to see him?"

Elphaba's voice sounded fierce.

Glinda took a deep breath and a knot of fear tightened in her stomach. She paused in her walking and so did Elphaba. They both looked at each other.

"I did, but Elphie listen to me. I couldn't have kept the stupid girl in Munchkinland! Everyone would have flipped. So I sent her with Nessa's shoes along her merry way to try and send her home, thinking that it was the least I could do for her. I'm not as heartless as you think I am."

Glinda waited for some witty retort but Elphaba's eyes widened.

"You what?" she exclaimed at the blonde. Elphaba wiped her arm away from the blonde and took a step back.

"I gave the girl the shoes. Elphie, she was frightened and I thought they could protect her. I'm sorry for not telling you sooner but I didn't think you'd mind," Glinda said, knowing exactly why Elphaba was upset but Glinda was getting irritated that Elphaba kept asking her questions when all she wanted to do was tell her the truth.

"So you gave her my sister's shoes?" shouted Elphaba as pieces of her black hair fell out of her tight bun. Her black dress spun around her heels as she pivoted away from the blonde. Her combat boots kicked up dust as she began to walk away, furious down the path. "How could you? Don't you know that Nessa told me I could have those shoes when she died! Instead of waiting, you gave those precious shoes to that stupid little farm-"

"Elphaba Thropp will you stop obsessing over those damn shoes!" shrieked Glinda as she dug the heels of her shoes into the ground as she stormed over to the green woman, "Can't you see that I have something to tell you? Can't you see that I'm upset?"

Glinda's voice broke as tears threatened to fall from her eyes.

Elphaba looked at the blonde's face suddenly.

"Well, I'm waiting," she snapped stiffly as she crossed her arms over her chest and tapped one of her feet in irritation.

Glinda took a breath, and felt her body shudder. She knew what would happen if she told Elphaba, but Glinda knew for once in her life that she had to do the right thing. If this was the only thing she did right, then so be it.

"They're, the Wizard and Morrible are- they're planning to kill you, Elphie!" stammered Glinda as her voice rose and became emotional. Tears flooded her vision and she found strangled sobs coming out in her own voice. She breathed in and out quickly as her hysteria grew.

"The farm girl, she's going to see the Wizard," choked out Glinda between gasps of sobs, "and he told me that he's planning to tell her that the only way for her to- to get back home is to kill you."

Glinda looked at Elphaba, her body shaking with sadness, grief and angry, "I won't let them kill you, Elphie," she swore tearfully, "I won't let them."

Elphaba said nothing for the longest time. It seemed like eons and eons of time were flying by as the two women stood there. For Glinda, the silence was unbearable. Her sadness was growing as every second passed, and she was sobbing so loudly that she was sure to wake up Elphaba's father. Elphaba remained silent; which made Glinda sob even harder.

"Oh, Glinda," the blonde heard the green woman say softly after a while. She could hear the clunking of the combats boots as Elphaba walked over to her. Glinda began to cry harder, until her breath came in wheezing gasps. She felt arms around her and she collapsed against Elphaba, just like she had done so back when she lost the baby all those years ago.

"I don't want to be a pawn anymore, Elphie," she whispered as tears rolled consistently down her face, "I don't want my life, I don't want any of it! I just want you." She thought of everything that she had been through in the last fifteen years and she would have thrown it all away just to be with Elphaba.

"Hush now, will you?" commanded Elphaba as she ran her hands gently down Glinda's back in comfort, "Don't worry, Glinda they won't kill me. I'm too smart for them."

Elphaba's voice had a certain cockiness edge to it but that was shut down completely by what Glinda had to whimper next.

"But what if you're not?"

It came out like a child would ask it, emotional and heightened. Elphaba paused her hand and her body.

"Don't think that way, you silly blonde," she muttered into her ear. But even to Glinda she did not sound convincing.

Glinda half-laughed half cried at that, and she tightened her tiny grip around Elphaba's thin waist.

"Oh, Elphie I've missed you so much," expressed Glinda as she tore herself away from the green woman and looked up into her face.

It was amazing how much Elphaba hadn't changed. Her features were still sharp and passionate, her body still annoyingly thin, her limbs long and angular, her hair tied back away from her face, and her skin color was duller but still as stunning as ever.

Glinda stared into those dark eyes of her former lover with passion. She never wanted Elphie to leave her side again.

"I love you, Elphaba, Elphie, Fae," crooned Glinda as her lips got close and closer to Elphaba's. Just when it seemed like they were about to touch, Elphaba gasped and pulled away suddenly. Her hands were lifted off of Glinda, and she wrapped them around herself.

Her eyes were wide, and she seemed shocked.

"Elphie?" the blonde's high-pitched voice seemed scared, "What's wrong?" She felt her stomach turn into a black hole as she waited for an answer. She wondered if Elphaba was having an allergic reaction to her tears or if it was something else altogether.

"Oh Oz," moaned Elphaba. Flashes of that night from the Corn Exchange appeared in her mind.

"I remember, I remember what happened," Elphaba whispered to herself. Her grip on her body lessened and she suddenly looked at Glinda.

"Oh my Oz!" shouted Elphaba as her eyes grew focused again.

"Elphaba? You- you remember?" Glinda took a step closer to her, a trembling hand reached out to touch her skin. The blonde just wanted to touch her, to provide comfort but she didn't know if Elphaba would allow it.

"Don't touch me!" said Elphaba reproachfully as she flinched away from Glinda's fingers.

"Elphie I-" Glinda tried but Elphaba would have none of it.

"You could have told me," she spat out, her murderous gaze on Glinda, "at the mauntery. Glinda you could have told me everything and yet you chose to lie! You told me that the Gale Force killed Fiyero when you knew perfectly well because you were the one who killed him that they did not kill you! You killed him, and I hate you for it!" Elphaba's voice was shrieks and yells.

Every word tore pieces of Glinda's heart out.

"I know I should have, but I'm trying to set things right now. That's why I came here to tell you about the Wizard's plan," rushed Glinda trying to calm the dangerous waters that these memories had created.

Elphaba's features turned harsh as she whirled away from the other woman.

"And you thought that that would make everything all right," muttered Elphaba bitterly.

"I-" but Glinda didn't even finish her sentence.

"I don't want to hear your excuses, Glinda!" shouted Elphaba as she started to stomp away.

"Elphaba, wait just let me explain!" yelled Glinda as Elphaba stormed past her in the dirt.

"I'm done with you, I'm done with everything!" screamed Elphaba. She threw her hands down against her sides with a slapping sound. Her expression remained furious as Glinda unlady-likely ran over to her.

"Elphie, Elphie listen to me," whispered Glinda as the other woman stood in the middle for the path shaking with emotion.

Elphaba closed her eyes and breathed in and out deeply, trying to sort everything out in her head.

"Don't do this," the blonde said softly as her fingertips reached out and grazed the skin on Elphaba's forearm gently, "Don't give in to them. Don't be like me. You can change things, Elphie."

"I've already given up, Glinda," said Elphaba blandly, "And don't kid yourself… since when I have changed anything…"

She started to walk away, to go check on her father.

"You've changed me."

Elphaba turned around and looked at the woman. Glinda's eyes were tearing up and she fiddled with those tiny hands.

"You did, you kept me sane when I needed you the most. Even now, when I get upset I think of you-" Glinda was rambling, fearful that Elphaba would just disappear on here again.

"Don't," interrupted Elphaba passionately.

The blonde's foolish smile faltered, "What?" She was confused, what was Elphaba talking about? Glinda felt like she wanted to cry again.

"Don't think of me, Glinda. Don't even daydream or dream or even have nightmares about me. Don't think about calling me, or kissing or anything! I'm as good as dead to you now. Can't you see, Glinda? I'm wicked!"

Glinda shook her head.

"You're not. I can see right through you, and I always have. You are not wicked Elphaba Thropp!"

She took a step forward, while Elphaba took a step back.

"I killed Madame Morrible," admitted Elphaba.

That stopped Glinda. It made her pause. The words registered in her mind but she couldn't comprehend them.

"Elphie, you're not a murderer, you-"

Elphaba shrieked and grabbed at her hair.

"Glinda! Do you not see me for who I truly am now? I killed Madame Morrible, and I'm going to get those shoes from that little girl even if it means if I have to kill her," Elphaba stormed over to Glinda, and grabbed her small wrist tightly.

"Don't get in my way again, or I will hurt you," she threatened as she stared deep into Glinda's eyes.

The blonde's breath hitched, "You can't hurt me anymore, Elphie," she said as her voice wobbled, "because you already tore out my heart."

"I'll kill you," shouted Elphaba but even as she said it they both knew she never would. Elphaba couldn't kill Glinda and she knew it. She could threaten, and boy would she do a lot of that, but she would never kill her.

Glinda's face morphed into one of utter sadness and yet she still smiled. It was a trembling smile but a smile nonetheless and it shocked Elphaba to see that the blonde was smiling.

"I'd still love you even if you did," choked out Glinda as a single tear streamed down her face. It fell onto Elphaba's wrist but the green woman did not move. A prolonged silence filled the tense air.

"Leave," Elphie hissed at the blonde as her grasp on her wrist lessened and she whirled away from her without another word.

Glinda watched as she walked away with tears in her eyes. Her heart felt like it was ripping at the seams, and there was nothing she could do to fix it.

The one woman who understood her, who cared about her, who loved her was as wicked as sin and was about to be murdered by a little girl. And Glinda could do nothing.

Sobs escaped from her lips and wracked her small body as she stood there and just watched until Elphaba was nothing but a speck of green in the distance.

**So much ANGST! But don't worry our two famous leading ladies will have just one other meeting before Elphaba dies, or does she...?**

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	26. True Feelings

Chapter Twenty-Six:

She appeared in the living room of Mockbeggar Hall with tears streaming down her face as she wrapped her arms around herself. Hiccups and sobs came from her mouth as she dropped to her knees on the carpet.

The door suddenly opened.

"And here is the living room-" Glinda heard Chuffrey's voice stop mid sentence. She looked up at her husband with tears blurring her vision.

"Excuse me," said Chuffrey quietly to whomever he was talking to as he stepped inside the room and shut the door behind him. He walked over to her.

"Glinda, what happened? You've been gone for several hours and I've heard no word since you left to see the Wizard."

Glinda's tears fell from her eyes as she remembered what happened at Colwen Grounds with Elphaba.

"I don't want to talk about it," she mumbled as she tried to summon enough strength to stop crying. Her fingers wiped away the tears, "Just go away."

"What's upsetting you?" he asked.

Glinda's lips trembled as she turned her head away from him, whacking him with her coiffed curls.

He sighed, knowing her and her feelings all too well.

"Something happened with Elphaba I see," he said without even waiting for answer. He could just tell. Maybe it was the way she was crying with her eyes all watery and her lips quivering or the way she was wrapping her arms around her body.

"She hates me," whispered Glinda still turned away from him. Her mind was hurting from all the memories that were coming back to her.

"Why?"

Glinda whacked Chuffrey with her hair once again, but this time it was to face him. Her facial expression was one of deep self-loathing.  
"Why shouldn't she hate me? After everything I've done to her I would expect nothing less from her. My mind accepts it, but my heart is unwilling to let such feelings from her enter it," said Glinda as she regained some control of her emotions.

She heard Chuffrey take a breath of air and then exhale it quite slowly. Her muscles tensed up as more tears blurred her vision. She was getting tired of all the times she had let tears fall. It was exhausting and did no good. But it was the only way to let her frustration and pain out that wasn't self-mutilation.

"Sometimes you have to let the people you love go," he said after a while. The blonde was a bit startled when she felt her hand being covered by his hand. Her eyes traveled to his and confusion was plainly written all over her face.

"Why are you being so understanding of this?" her voice went cold and icy, "Don't you remember the times when I used to just bring up her name and you'd throw me to the ground and force yourself on me?"

It was a forceful and harsh reminder to the blonde of what her life had used to be. She swallowed hard as her eyes looked away from her husband's for a split second and then returned.

"I do, and I am sorry. But I've realized something."

Glinda snorted in disbelief as a cruel smile crept up her face, "Oh, really?" she mocked.

"Yes, I've realized that no matter how hard I try and to keep you two apart, you always somehow find each other. You can't live without her and she can't live without you," he said gently. His words circled around her mind like a breeze. She figured that at one time they were true. But what about now? Elphaba said she never wanted to see her again? Glinda was sure that Elphaba could live without her.

Shaking her head slowly, "I don't think that's true anymore," said Glinda sorrowfully, "As I told you, she hates me."

The tense air seemed to shift as the seconds passed by and Glinda found herself suddenly relaxed with Chuffrey besides her, even though in her heart she wished Elphaba was next to her.

"Well," started her husband, "Hate is an emotion, a feeling. So she still has feelings for you."

Glinda pondered over this for a moment, "I guess you're right."

He smiled at her just for a split second, "Now, come on. Let's get you up from this floor, because your parents are waiting just on the other side of that door."

Getting up first he held out a hand to her, and she took it. For once in her life without Elphaba, Glinda felt the empty hole in her heart slowly healing. There was no way that Chuffrey could replace Elphaba in her heart but maybe, just maybe that he could lessen the pain if he stayed accepting of her problems.

Wiping away her tears, and straightening her dress out Glinda looked like she had never even cried in just mere minutes.

"Alright," she said to him as she fluffed out her hair once more, "Let's go out and see them."

She crossed the room and opened the door to be greeted by the familiar faces of her parents.

"Momsie, Popsicle!" she said brightly as she embraced them both in a hug. Chuffrey remained behind her and gave a quick nod of acknowledgement to both of them knowing fully well that they were not here to see him.

"Darling, are you alright? All we could hear was crying on the other side of the door?" asked Larena Upland who stepped forward in her light blue dress to hug her only child once more.

"I'm fine," Glinda reinforced with a smile, "Really, Mother it was nothing."

Her mother's eyebrows narrowed. Glinda's father gave his daughter a stern gaze.

"How are you two?" she pressed, desperately wanting to change to a different topic.

After a moment, her mother answered the question.

"Fine," she said softly brushing away a strand of her blonde hair from her face, "We were just in town and decided to pop in and see you two."

Highmuster Upland, Larena's husband nodded in agreement.

"Well," said Glinda trying to figure out in her flustered mind what to say next, "Thank you for that. But as you can see we're really busy with everything. We've got a memorial service to go to for Nessarose Thropp and we really can't be late, now can we dear?" she looked at Chuffrey, who without a pause nodded.

"It was nice to see you two again, but our driver is waiting to take us to Munchkinland and you know how far the drive is," excused Chuffrey from the both of them as he took Glinda's hand. The reason behind why Glinda wanted her parents gone was one that Chuffrey could very quickly figure out, there was no explanation needed.

"Oh, yes of course," dismissed Highmuster with a glance towards his wife. Though Larena was not looking at him, she noticed his glare. She was too busy trying to read her daughter's face, to busy trying to see what emotions were filling it but she was confused by what she saw.

Without another word, Larena and Highmuster left the mansion and Glinda and Chuffrey watched them wordlessly.

"Come on," pressed Chuffrey in her ear softly, taking a gentle hold of her forearm, "Let's go."

They made their way outside to where a carriage was waiting for them. Silence stayed lingering throughout the entire ride. Neither Glinda nor Chuffrey spoke to each other but at least this time Glinda sat on the same side as Chuffrey. That was a first.

She leaned her head against his shoulder for a bit, and then he wrapped his arm around her, letting her head fall against his chest.

Staying true to his new manners, he did not yell nor acknowledge the fact that at some point during the ride that tears had started to slide down his wife's cheeks. He knew why they were falling. Part of him was angry at those tears, angry at how one woman could be so devoted and hopelessly in love with another woman and not him. But the other part of him was trying to understand, trying to understand that fine line between love and friendship.

When he noticed that his wife had fallen asleep, he pressed a kiss to the top of her golden curls.

"Just for once, don't dream about her," he whispered in her ear as he held her.

But for once Chuffrey understood.

Elphaba would never be out of Glinda's head and Glinda would never let her leave her memory.

And that's just the way it was going to be and the way it always was.

**For all you Chuffrey hunters out there, do not despair, the old mean Chuffrey will return in a later chapter. Sorry for taking so long to upload this, but I was having writers block. **

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	27. Promises, Promises

Chapter Twenty-Seven:

If you had asked either Sir Chuffrey or Lady Glinda what they thought about the memorial service for Nessarose Thropp, both of them would give a vague, hasty answer to you and turn away quickly. That's because Glinda spent the entire service in the balcony with her eyes trained on Elphaba, and Chuffrey looking at Glinda and then at Elphaba.

"I'm surprised at how many people showed up," commented Chuffrey to Glinda as the choir began.

With no answer escaping her lips, Chuffrey took the silence as a simple recognition and agreement from his wife.

"She looks so devastated," whispered Glinda so quietly that her husband almost didn't hear it. Looking at her face, he followed her eyes to where Elphaba sat in the first pew with her father. Chuffrey bit his lip for a moment, his mind becoming aggravated over this obsession she had for the green woman, and then he took a breath, calming himself.

"I'd be concerned if she wasn't, darling," he finally said after a moment of shuffling the program papers in his lap.

"She's probably still mad at me as well," croaked out the blonde as other people in their booth began to take their seats.

"Don't worry about that right now," he cautioned her as the funeral started.

"But you know I will," were the last words she spoke to him for the next hour…

* * *

The funeral was nothing spectacular but nor was it something that was utterly boring. Everyone was polite and paid their respects to the remaining members of the family.

While waiting in line, Chuffrey held Glinda's hand as she constantly flickered her eyes back and forth to Elphaba and then back to her feet. She seemed more than anxious to speak with her but Elphaba caught sight of her she got out of line with her father and went outside into the hallway.

Her heart sinking, Glinda watched as she left. The room was now filled with meaningless chatter and people, Glinda felt as if her world was falling apart.

All she wanted, all she needed from Elphaba was forgiveness. But how could she ever get forgiveness from someone who had never received it in her life? Glinda knew that throughout Elphaba's life all she had received was hatred and cruelty, even from her own family. She knew that Elphaba did not forgive easily, but she was willing to get her to try. But now that Elphaba was purposely avoided her, she felt like it was hopeless to even try. Elphaba would never truly forgive her; Glinda knew that that was a fact and not an assumption.

Her eyes gazed across the room to where Elphaba had exited from and she clutched at handfuls of her own black dress in agitation. She waited and waited for Elphaba to return to the room but she never did.

"Darling," interrupted Chuffrey by a gentle grab of her arm by his hand, "We should get going."

Glinda shook her head, her coiffed curls bouncing in the action, "No," she said commandingly.

Without her gaze on him, she heard him sigh for the umpteenth time that day. Agitation and frustration welled up inside of her.

"Glinda," he whispered in her ear lowly as the last couples trickled out of the room, "Let's go. You can talk with her later."

"No," insisted Glinda as she ripped her arm out of his grasp. She took a step forward; to get away from him when something gripped her forearm so tightly she was sure that it was too break if more pressure was added to it.

Biting back a shriek, she whirled around and saw that Chuffrey had snaked his pudgy hand around her small arm once more, but this time with more force, more aggression.

Her eyes met his in fear and in surprise.

Of course, she thought to herself, it was all an act. She scolded herself for being so trustworthy, so believing of his change of character, his change of heart. She should have seen that this disguise of loving understanding was just as she had described it. A disguise was all it was.

Glinda briefly wondered if Chuffrey had planned to avoid Elphaba for the rest of the time he was with Glinda.

Too angry to say anything, she tried to free herself of his hurtful grasp around her tiny wrist.

Her cold eyes bore into his and neither of them said anything for the longest time. They were now alone in the room; everyone else had left a few minutes ago before Chuffrey had grabbed her arm. So there was no one to see if something happened to her…

"Chuffrey, let me go," articulated the blonde as she took a step back from him.

"No, I can't do that," uttered her husband.

"I don't care if you can or cannot, you will let go of me," she half shrieked, half whispered.

His grip only tightened at those words and Glinda bit back a scream as harsh pain radiated and expanded from her wrist up to her shoulder.

"I won't lose you to her. It's not right," he muttered as he dragged her closer to him. Glinda felt her stomach drop as she got mere centimeters away from the man she had married those many, many years ago.

"Oh, why do you care?" she snapped at him, sick of his over-protective antics.

"Because you're mine!" he roared at her as his hand collided with her face.

Cheek stinging and her pride crumbling, Glinda rubbed her now sore cheek as she stumbled away from him.

"Not anymore," she snarled at him and her heels clicked as she began to walk away from him.

"You wouldn't do that!"

His words stopped her. They stopped her cold because deep down she knew it was true. She knew that she needed the limelight, she needed the adoration of people but she would give it all up for Elphaba now. In a heartbeat she would throw away her dresses, her money, and her title for the chance to still be with Elphaba.

"Watch me," she warned as she whirled around to glare at him.

Chuffrey merely smirked at her, his eyes glinting in whatever satisfaction he got out of torturing her.

"And if she refuses you, what will you do then? That Dorothy girl is on her way to kill her, and if she succeeds Elphaba will be dead. Who will you go back to then? I'll gladly take you back, my dear…"

His whispering words shuddered and swirled around her body and ears, making her feel slightly horrified by his tone.

Words bubbled inside of her but she refused to let them out. Those words were the truth and for once Glinda would not let him win.

"She will not die, and she will not refuse me," shouted Glinda as she briskly walked to the door, "And I will never give up my pride just to crawl back to a monster like you!"

She slammed the door behind her but not before she heard his words.

"Just you wait, my dear. You'll come…"

* * *

After leaving the funeral home, Glinda found herself walking aimlessly near Colwen Grounds. After the things that had happened here last time, Glinda was a bit apprehensive about strolling through the gardens once more but she needed to clear her head.

The words that Chuffrey had left her were echoing in her head. They would not leave her mind.

The sky felt like a huge boulder that was pressing down on her. As she walked, Glinda realized that she was not alone.

Footsteps that were not her own resonated along the pathway, and Glinda looked up at the horizon to find Elphaba walking on the opposite side of the path.

Resisting the urge to run into her arms and cry, Glinda avoided her gaze and sped up her pace, hoping to catch the green woman's eye.

But to her utter dismay and disappointment, Elphaba purposely avoided her and walked along as if she had seen nothing.

Glinda stopped dead in her tracks after Elphaba had passed her, her heart breaking as she realized that Chuffrey had been right. But summoning up her inner courage, she turned determined not to let anyone else be right about the affairs of her heart.

"Oh, Elphie," she cried, hoping for a response from the woman.

But Elphaba or the Witch as she was now called did not turn around. She did say that she forgave Glinda nor did she acknowledge her presence. All she did was flinch as if Glinda's voice caused her pain and continue walking without a second glance.

"Elphie?" Glinda's voice lingered in the tense air between them as Elphaba soon became nothing but a shadow in the light.

With no tears left to fall from her eyes, and sadness filling her Glinda's mouth trembled with quivering sobs making quiet noises but nothing more.

In that moment Glinda promised herself and Elphaba that she would not let her walk out of her life that easily.

She would follow her to the ends of the earth to be with her, to keep her safe from the murdering girl she had sent her way, to confess her love for her.

"I'll find you again, this won't be the last time we see each other," swore Glinda to the open air, only hoping, wishing, and imagining that Elphaba was listening to her.

**Sorry for the late update but I found inspiration today by listening to Disney's Hunchback Of Notre Dame soundtrack. Hope you all liked it!**

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	28. The Last Visit

Chapter Twenty-Eight:

The silhouette of Kiamo Ko greeted Glinda's eyes a few days later after a treacherous and tiring journey by herself to find Elphaba. Having known where Elphaba was residing at, the blonde had taken a carriage and driven it herself to the castle. She was exhausted and could only hope that she wasn't too late.

She gave three short knocks on the door and waited for an answer. When she didn't hear anything, Glinda began to become nervous. She fiddled with her hands and picked at her black dress that she had been wearing since Nessarose's funeral. She hadn't had time to change and frankly she hadn't wanted to. She refused to go back to Chuffrey at any costs now.

The door was finally opened by a young boy about twelve or thirteen as far as Glinda could tell. Immediately she knew who he was, or who she hoped he was.

"Liir?" she asked and that caused the boy to look at her like she was a crazy stalker.

"Yeah," he answered with a curious look on his face, "And who are you? You certainly don't look like Dorothy," he mumbled the next part, "Or at least what Auntie Witch told me she looked like…"

Glinda didn't have time for chitter-chatter, and she felt impatient as she stood outside waiting to enter the castle.

"I am not Dorothy," said Glinda rather annoyed that he would think so, "I am Glinda. I need to see Elphaba."

Liir leaned against the side of the door, his gangly short body looking like a thick tree trunk.

"She's upstairs in the solar, but I don't think she wants to see anyone, especially you," he muttered as he twisted one foot over the other childishly. He avoided her gaze and looked at the floor.

"And why not?" asked Glinda with her hands on her hips. Her foot tapped on the gravel steadily, her patience wearing oh so thin.

"She's kind of busy… planning and such," mumbled Liir and Glinda had to strain her ears to even hear him. She had half the mind to scold Elphaba for teaching her kid such horrible manners, but then again this was the way Glinda expected Elphaba to raise her child. With no warmth or love or even care shown to Liir, Glinda suddenly felt bad for the boy.

"Well I need to come in anyways," she said softly. She looked beyond where Liir was standing into the castle that she had once been in before. The memories of her encounter with Sarima were brought back to her mind as soon as she saw the familiar interior of the residence.

"I guess you can come in, but she won't see you now," said Liir as he opened up the door a bit wider to let her pass.

Glinda entered the castle and immediately felt a chill rise around her, causing her to shiver slightly. It was quite cold in the stone castle and Glinda could see that Elphaba had none of the fireplaces going.

"Is there someplace I can freshen up?" asked the blonde witch, secretly hoping that he would take her near Elphaba, "The journey here was quite…. muddy for a lack of a better word."

Liir closed the door behind her and looked at her as children do, with his brow furrowed, "Um yeah, but she doesn't use water. I have some in my room though."

Disappointed the warmth that Glinda had felt towards the boy vanished and Glinda resisted the urge to groan and snap at the child. Instead she put on a gracious smile.

"That would be lovely," she got out as her eyes traveled up the staircase and her ears strained to hear the sound of footsteps, Elphaba's footsteps she hoped.

Liir ascended up the staircase with loud clomps of his boots hitting against the stone and with Glinda trailing behind. Those blue eyes of hers flickered from one door to the next; just imagining that Elphaba was behind one of them, waiting for her.

"Here we are," Liir's voice interrupted her thoughts and Glinda watched as he opened the door to his room for her.

Glinda did not move right away, she was more concerned about getting her head out of its search to find Elphaba than washing up.

Liir began to babble while she stood there.

"I, um, have to go do some chores but I'll be around outside if you, um, need anything," he stuttered.

He awkwardly stared at her for a bit and then when she tried to make eye contact with him, his eyes shot down to the floor.

"Thank you, Liir," said Glinda more as a dismissal than anything else.

Liir seemed to get the hint and he clumsily moved out of her way and left her to her thoughts.

"Oh and Liir," Glinda called out at the last second possible.

Liir turned in midst of descending the staircase to look at her.

"Yes?"

Glinda fumbled with the words in her mind, hoping that they would come out right when spoken from her mouth.

"Don't tell Elphaba that I'm here… at all. I'm surprising her with a visit, so please don't ruin it," half lied the Good Witch. She hoped that the boy would not find that strange, though in this house thought Glinda this must be the least strangest thing the boy had come across.

"Alright," said Liir with a nod, "I won't tell."

"Good," said Glinda and she turned her head away from him and waited to hear his footsteps as he went down the stairs.

Once he was out of her sights and Glinda made sure that she was out of his, the blonde shut the door to the room and began her way around the halls of the castle. Not sure where she should be looking for she had no idea where the solar exactly was, she meandered her way around based on what she heard. Traveling through empty corridors, one after another, Glinda found herself irritated and tired.

"Elphaba? Where are you?" she cried out after what seemed like an eternity searching for her old lover in the abandoned halls of the castle.

"Who's there?" called out another voice, one that was too frail, too old to be Elphaba's. Glinda turned a corner and almost collided with an older woman with a wizened face and bright eyes.

"Oh, my!" cried out the old woman as she fixed her attire and looked up at Glinda.

It took the blonde a few moments to realize who it was, and when she did so she was utterly surprised to see her here.

"Nanny, is that you?"

Having not really known the old woman, for she tended to Nessarose, Glinda wasn't that confident of her choice but the old woman seemed to be who she thought she was.

"Of course it is who else would I be?" retorted the old woman quite sassily. She peered at Glinda through her glasses and seemed to scrutinize at her appearance.

"You're Galinda," she said as a statement and not a question.

Glinda was quite surprised that the old bat actually remembered her.

"It's Glinda now, but yes I am, but how did you-"

Nanny cut her off with a short laugh, "I never forget a face, dearie. Now why are you wandering about Kiamo Ko? Looking for Elphaba I presume?"

Wanting to explain herself quickly Glinda rushed her words a bit and became animated though she didn't really need to.

"Yes, I am but Liir said she wouldn't want to see me. I came here as a surprise visit, just to catch up…"

"Oh," said Nanny a bit hesitantly, "Well she's getting quite crabby the damn girl, but I'm sure she'll be delighted to see you, for some human companionship other than those moneys and her bees. She's in the solar, I'll take you to see her."

Glinda beamed, though the words about human companionship did worry her a bit, and she followed Nanny through more corridors and passageways until they reached a room with a wooden door.

"I'll let you talk to her alone," said Nanny as she scuttled off to somewhere else.

Glinda exhaled softly as her hand wavered over the door handle. The nervousness in her seemed to swallow her but she pushed it aside. This had to go just right, this had to go perfectly otherwise she would lose Elphaba forever.

Painstakingly slow Glinda reached for the door handle with trembling fingers and opened it. Hesitantly she entered the room with nothing but nerves to keep her going.

Her eyes found a figure shrouded in black with a witch's hat on, busy muttering to herself and surrounded by hideous monkeys with wings. As Glinda looked at her she could barely recognize her old friend. She looked nothing like the person she had once been…

"Elphie?"

**Sorry for the wait. This stupid thing called life got in the way. Next chapter will be a good one! :)**

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	29. Ends and Afters

Chapter Twenty-Nine:

Glinda's voice cut through the silent air like lighting. The blonde waited for the green woman to acknowledge her voice or her presence but Elphaba did and said nothing. She continued to talk nonsense to her animals whilst Glinda stood there near the door silent.

"Elphaba?" Glinda's voice rang out in the air. She shifted her weight nervously as she hoped for an answer.

Finally Elphaba turned more like whipped her body around to look at the disturbance.

"What are you doing here?" she growled in a low voice to the blonde, "You're disturbing me. Go away!"

At the harshness of her tone Glinda flinched. She didn't like hearing that lace of malice in her lover's voice.

"No," said Glinda firmly, "I'm not leaving and you are going to listen to me."

Elphaba scoffed at that, "Since when have you ever gotten me to obey you, Your Goodness?" Her voice was full of mockery and Glinda kept her face blank to never let Elphaba know how much those words hurt.

"Please?" she begged, her eyes searing into Elphaba's in need, in pain, "I can't let you die like this."

"I've already sent out my monkeys for the girl and her companions. So you're too late," barked out Elphaba and with a wave of her hand the monkey that she had been attended to flew out of the room from the window.

"You sent for her?" Glinda was confused. She couldn't make sense of Elphaba's twisted logic, "But what are you going to do with her?"

At that Elphaba let slip a cruel smile on her green face and Glinda gasped as it all came together.

"You must kill before you are killed, Glinda," said Elphaba after a few seconds.

Glinda was horrified. Her face paled and her stomach plummeted.

"Elphie," whimpered Glinda, "No… no, no, Elphie you can't!"

"I can do anything I want, I'm the Wicked Witch of The West my dear," protested Elphaba with a sneer.

Glinda felt her heart break piece by piece as she looked at her old friend.

"Oh, Elphie," Glinda felt tears building in her eyes, "You aren't wicked. You're Elphaba Thropp, the passionate Animal activist who just wanted to help people."

Elphaba scoffed and snorted as she turned away from Glinda.

"I'm not that girl anymore," she said harshly but there were undertones of sadness in her voice.

Glinda saw right through that lie, and she slowly approached the witch. Putting a hand on her bony shoulder Glinda sighed, "You are, and you always have been."

Elphaba shook her head as it hung low towards the ground, "I don't think so…"

Glinda put on a small smile, "You just forget sometimes… I forget all the time who I used to be. But together we can remember…"

Hesitantly Glinda slowly took her hand off of Elphaba's shoulder and linked it with her hand. Elphaba flinched at the contact but did not pull away. With her other hand Glinda gently caressed Elphaba's face.

"Glin…" Elphaba's eyes met the blonde's.

Glinda felt a surge of passion well up inside of her and before either of them knew it, Glinda had her lips pressed gently to Elphaba's. Afraid that she would pull away and never speak to her again Glinda savored every millisecond that she had with her lips on her lover's. The blonde was more than surprised when Elphaba didn't pull away and actually deepened the kiss by wrapping her arms around the tiny woman.

Theirs bodies pressed together in need, in want, and most of all in passion as their lips collided. The tensions that had been between them earlier faded away like nothing had ever happened.

"Elphie," said Glinda as her lips traveled farther down the witch's slightly nonexistent chest, "Say you love me."

Elphaba frowned when she realized that it was a command and not a plea.

"Why?" Elphaba slightly shuddered when Glinda's lips came to her abdomen.

As soon as Elphaba asked that question the blonde's lips immediately came off.

Glinda looked at Elphaba with piercing ice-blue eyes before she answered.

"Because I know you do," her voice broke, "I know you love me, I've known it for a long time now."

She got in quickened breaths as she waited for Elphaba to say those coveted three words. In the meantime, Glinda undid the buttons of Elphaba's dress ever so slowly and seductively with her slender fingers.

"Glinda…" protested Elphaba as she took a step back, "They'll catch us."

She was talking about Liir and Nanny but Elphaba also realized that it could be used as a metaphor for the world. If Liir or Nanny did see who's to say they won't go around spreading rumors. Who's to say that Sir Chuffrey or the Wizard would find out about their clandestine relationship?

"I hope they do," she said with a smile as the dress Elphaba was wearing slid off her body and onto the floor. Glinda's eyes gazed at the emerald skin that covered every inch of Elphaba's body in wonder. She brought those grayish lips to her pale pink ones and pressed ever so slowly so that they met.

But before Elphaba could response back, Glinda pulled away.

"Say it," she commanded in a shrill voice as she undid the buttons of her own dress, letting the black dirty attire fall to the floor as well.

Elphaba swallowed as she took in Glinda's naked body.

"I love you," she said as earnestly and honestly as she possibly could. Her brown eyes looked into Glinda in truth and the blonde's heart melted.

"I love you too," replied Glinda with a smile.

Her hand reached up and touched Elphaba's face lovingly. Just as she was about to kiss her Elphaba spoke.

"What about Chuffrey?"

Glinda pondered over what he had said to her at the funeral and how he had acted towards her over the numerous years they had been together and she shook her head and smirked.

"The hell with Chuffrey," said Glinda as she brought Elphaba closer to her with her hands around the green woman's waist, "It's always been you that I've wanted."

They both smiled at each other. There was a brief moment of silence before either of them moved.

"This is it, isn't it?" asked Glinda a bit tearfully. She sniffled as she looked down at her shoed feet.

"Yes, it is…" mused Elphaba. Her bony chin nuzzled against Glinda's neck in affection as her lips sucked on her collar bone, "So let's make it worth our while…"

Glinda let out a few giggled as Elphaba pressed the blonde's body up against a wall.

"Elphie, I love you," moaned the blonde as Elphaba's lips grazed her skin.

"I love you more, now shush they'll hear you downstairs," said Elphaba.

"Are you ashamed of me, Miss Elphaba?" teased Glinda as she felt Elphaba's fingers enter her.

Elphaba looked up and merely smirked at her, "No, my dear. Though I've always wondered if you were?"

Glinda laughed slightly and her hands were placed on either shoulder blade of Elphaba's.

"No, not ashamed of you. I was more ashamed of myself for not following my heart when I realized I was in love with you back at Shiz," explained Glinda as her lips pressed fully against Elphaba's, causing the green woman to stop what she was doing with her hands and moan. When Glinda pulled away, Elphaba searched her eyes for a moment.

"What?" asked Glinda softly with a tilt of her head. Her fingers traced the edges of Elphaba's breasts as she waited for an answer.

"I'm sorry for letting you go with Chuffrey. I should have told you how I felt right then and there when you told me you were getting married. If I did-"

"Oh my darling," cut in Glinda as she stopped her hands only to move them to Elphaba's face, "Don't talk about the past, not now. I'll leave if I hear another word about it. What's done is done, let's… let's just enjoy right now," she purred as her lips sucked on Elphaba's throat.

"You're right," said Elphaba and she looked down at the blonde, "I do love you Glinda…"

The blonde just smiled sweetly at her lover, "And I you," she said and she pressed her body against the stonewall in the sexiest pose she could manage.

"Now, my dear, how wicked did you say you were?"

…

It had seemed like an eternity had gone by with just Elphaba and Glinda having sex in the solar. No one disturbed them, and all noises seemed to turn into a blurring silence.

It was their last but they both made sure that it was a time that neither of them would ever forget for the rest of their lives, no matter how short one of theirs might be…

"Shush, my sweet. Do you hear that?" asked Elphaba pulling herself away from Glinda as the blonde moaned when the green woman took her lips off of hers. The blonde was too agitated to care, "It's nothing, Elphie," she dismissed," Now kiss me again," she breathed in the green woman's ear. She pulled herself closer to Elphaba but Elphaba pushed herself away.

"I think she's here, that girl Dorothy that I sent the monkeys to get," said Elphaba a bit breathlessly. Her hands remained on Glinda's hips and they were as still as stone. Her face turned patient as she listened for the sound again.

"She is, she's here," said Elphaba bitterly, "I can hear that whining annoying voice from up here. Good Lurline and I left Liir and Nanny to welcome her and not scare her away." Elphaba grabbed her dress from the floor and hastily put it back on. Glinda did the same with her own dress, though it was in reluctance.

"Don't go," whispered Glinda as her fingers clung to the fabric of Elphaba's dress, pulling her closer to Glinda's body.

"I have to," said Elphaba softly. Her eyes avoided Glinda's as if she didn't want her to see something in them.

"She'll kill you or you will kill her," reminded Glinda, "Either way Elphaba, neither outcome is good!"

At this Glinda started to break down. Tears fell from her eyes and she hiccupped and tried to muffle her sobs with her hands. Her body quivered and shook with horrible grief and horror at what was to come. She couldn't let Elphaba die, she just couldn't.

"You can't do this to me!" she wailed as she shoved Elphaba away from her, "After everything we've been through, you're just going to leave me again? I'm tired of waiting… I've done too much of it. I've spent my whole life waiting for you to come for me, to finally accept what we have. I've been waiting forever for you to say and mean those three words; I love you. And now you've finally said them and you're leaving me again."

Glinda paused for breath in her rant and her chest rose and fell quickly as tears shone in her eyes.

"I can't and won't be able to take it if you- if you die! I'll kill myself!" she shrieked as she backed herself into one of the stonewalls crying uncontrollably as she collapsed to the floor.

She didn't see Elphaba walk over to her and help her up but she felt it. She looked up at Elphaba and found that even the green woman was fighting back some sort of sad emotion.

"You're not going to kill yourself, you're going to be fine. You're going to live a great life with lots of money and fame and by this time next year you won't even remember my name," Glinda cried harder as she said this and was about to say something when Elphaba put a finger to her lips, "Don't even try to say it won't be true because it will. I am nothing to you and I am nothing to this world."

"Well you are, Elphaba! You're more than something to me!" screamed back Glinda as hot tears trailed down her pale face, "You're everything to me!"

Biting on her lip, Elphaba grabbed a tight hold of Glinda's wrists and dragged her towards the door.

"You have to leave," she said curtly and nearly fell over when Glinda stopped dead in her tracks and her wrists were ripped out of the green woman's grasp.

"Did that just mean nothing to you?" she shrieked at Elphaba meaning the act of sex that they had just performed, "Are you really going to try and send me away after all that? I won't leave and you will not make me," Glinda stood where she was, determined not to leave.

She heard Elphaba sigh and saw as the breath went through her whole body. Hard steely eyes met Glinda's soft ones, "Fine, but you have to hide."

"No," argued Glinda, "I'm coming downstairs with you!" she reached out to grab a hold of Elphaba's forearm when Elphaba took a step forward.

"Absolutely not," Elphaba shook her head at the idea and she beckoned to one of her monkeys who sat perched on a nearby windowsill.

"Make sure that the next time I come up here that _she -_at this Elphaba pointed sharply to Glinda_-_ is out of anyone's sight, do you understand Malcor?" she asked her monkey.

The monkey nodded and grabbed Glinda's wrist with a furry hand.

"You're having one of your monkeys make sure that I stay hidden?" exclaimed Glinda furious.

Elphaba nodded as she put on her witch's hat and straightened out her homespun black dress, "He'll claw your eyes out if you don't obey the instructions I gave him…" she said as a warning.

Glinda felt more tears build up inside of her as she watched Elphaba stride to the doorway.

"Why can't we be like those fairy-tale characters who end up together forever in happily ever after?" cried Glinda as soon as one of Elphaba's hands touched the door handle.

The green woman, the one woman that she had loved for so many years, turned to look at her. Taking her steps slowly and lightly she made her way back towards Glinda. Without any words spoken, she brought a hand around to be placed on the back of Glinda's head and kissed her one last time.

It lasted but a minute but it was something that neither of them would ever regret doing.

"Because there are no happily ever afters for witches like us," said Elphaba softly caressing Glinda's face, "There are only afters and ends."

With tears falling from her face in utter heartbreak and lost hope Glinda watched helplessly as the woman she loved left the room and descended down the staircase to meet her death by the hands of a child.

**So in honor and celebration of So Close winning for Best Gelphie-which is something that I give out a HUGE THANK YOU to everyone that nominated and voted for me- I decided to update! **

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	30. A Descent Into Madness

Chapter Thirty:

**A/N. I can't believe you guys thought that Chapter 29 was the last chapter! I still have way more to write for this story so stay tuned my pretties this story isn't over yet... About maybe four or three chapters to go and then we're done!**

Voices rose up from down below the tower and Glinda could hear them loud and clear.

Her ears only tuned in to the distinctive voice of Elphaba that was heard throughout the castle. Staying locked up in the solar was driving Glinda quite literally mad. She paced across the stones that made up the floor until she was dizzy. Her head felt light and her body weak. She trembled whenever she heard those voices and her mind always came to the worst conclusion.

"Oh Oz, Elphie…" she muttered in complete nervousness to herself as she wrung her hands together until they turned red from irritation, "Just come back upstairs and tell me everything's alright… just tell me and show me that you're okay…"

Tears brimmed her eyes as the hours passed and she could still hear the sound of numerous voices from downstairs, obviously saying that nothing had happened yet. Glinda was growing more and more unsettled and uneasy. What if Elphaba didn't have it in her and she couldn't kill the girl? What if the stupid girl did end up killing Elphaba, just like the Wizard said she would have?

Pausing as if to open the door, Glinda stopped herself just short of raising the handle and unlocking the latch. She didn't want to ruin whatever Elphaba's plan was for she knew if she did then Elphaba really would never speak with her again.

Then again that nervous feeling welled up inside of her and Glinda's slender fingers grazed the door handle slightly and with a glance towards the monkey to make sure he wasn't looking she began to raise the handle and-

Suddenly there was a commotion downstairs and that caused Glinda to loosen her grip on the bronze handle, letting it drop against the wood making a slight knock.

Footsteps and shouts, and was there a roar Glinda heard too perhaps, all came clamoring from the lower part of the castle. Horrified and conjuring up in her mind what could possibly be happening Glinda made a move to burst open the door and run down the stairs when the monkey put out his hand and stopped her.

"No, I have to help her!" Glinda tried to move past him but he grabbed a hold of her arm tightly and dragged her to the broom closet, locking the door once she was inside.

"You can't do this to me!" cried Glinda as she banged on the door. But after a few mere seconds she gave up as hopelessness suddenly consumed her.

Tears fell one by one from her face as she waited, waited for whatever was to come from what happened downstairs.

Suddenly the door burst open and the little girl Dorothy stumbled in, looking like she had been pushed inside. Elphaba followed not too far behind her with a murderous gleam in her eyes and a harsh look on her emerald face.

"What-what are you going to do with me?" sobbed the child as she scooted away from the witch, sounding terribly frightened.

Elphaba smirked cruelly at Dorothy as she locked the door behind her.

"It'll be better this way, my pretty if no one hears you scream…"

Glinda's breath caught in her chest, it couldn't be. Elphaba really was going to kill the girl.

"Please don't hurt me!" cried the girl as she stumbled over yet another thing. This time, and Glinda strained her eyes by looking through the cracks of the wood in the door; she stepped on a beehive that had been lying on the floor.

Elphaba nearly screamed.

"Why does everything you touch or look at die?" she shrieked at the girl, causing the child to cry even harder, "First your house landed on Nessa and now you've come here to kill me!"

"No, no, no that's not true!" protested the girl with many shakes of her head and pigtails, "I'm not a murderer!"

"Of course you aren't," sneered Elphaba as she got very close to the girl's face, her body was hunched over in an arch towards her, "If you were, you would know this simple thing…"

"What would I know?" asked Dorothy trembling after a moment of silence.

A sadistic smile came over Elphaba's face and Glinda found herself as terrified as the farm girl was.

"That you must kill before you are killed, my sweet," whispered Elphaba in a sickly sinister voice.

This was the side of Elphaba that Glinda had never seen, and nor did she ever want to see it again. The gentle, loving, passionate woman that Glinda had once knew was gone, completely transformed into this-this hideous wicked witch of a woman that was so bent on revenge and living up to her namesake as a monster.

"Oh, Elphie," whispered Glinda so gently as she tore her eyes away from the scene so that she no longer could see Dorothy or Elphaba but she could sure hear them.

Glinda felt utterly sick as she realized that in a few moments Dorothy would be dead, and be dead by no one's hand but her Elphie's.

Having half the mind to break down the door, but knowing that she physically couldn't, Glinda sank to her knees inside the small closet and waited for this whole hellish ordeal to be over with.

The lump that was clogging up her throat stayed where it was as Glinda tried to fight back the tears that were filling in her eyes. She kept thinking about those days back at Shiz where everything seemed not too far out of reach, where nothing was impossible. But now, Glinda knew that that was not true. This, this was irreversible; something that no one could ever change. Glinda could never change the fact that Elphaba was now known as a wicked witch, or the fact that Glinda herself was known as Glinda the Good when she really wasn't that good.

The voices of Elphaba and Dorothy swirled around her but Glinda was not longer paying attention. She was waiting for Elphaba to swing open the door and tell her that it was done, the girl was dead, and that they would have to run away together.

But those words never came. Instead Glinda heard the sound of crackling, of fire burning. Her nose was suddenly filled with the stench of something burning, maybe even flesh.

Her palms pressed against the door as she peered out through the slivers of the cracks in between the wood in order to see what was going on.

"Oh will this nightmare _ever_ end?" screeched Dorothy as she lifted something off the floor and blocked Glinda's view of seeing anything else in the room with her gingham dress.

"I will save you!" she cried and Glinda wondered what in the world she meant by that. Glinda watched as Dorothy threw something in front of her and the noise in the room was suddenly a sick sizzling sound.

Glinda was more than thankful when the little girl scurried back out of her view so that she could see.

But her thanks lasted no more than a second when she saw what was happening before her very eyes.

There was Elphaba, drenched in water, with her skin burning and melting off of her body as she slowly turned into a gruesome puddle of green.

Too horrified and scared to even speak or cry Glinda was forced to watch in utter silence while Dorothy dropped the bucket and started crying.

The blonde's eyes were locked on the green puddle and Glinda felt her body shake as she realized that this was no trick of her eyes. This was real. Her stomach dropped instantly and the blonde felt an overwhelming urge to vomit right there but she swallowed back the bile that was creeping up her throat.

Never-ending tears leaked from her eyes and ran down her face in lines as her lips quivered in unthinkable grief. Feeling as if she would faint, Glinda leaned against the door with her chest rising and falling fast against the cool wood. She choked back screams of horror and pain as she waited for the murdering girl to leave.

The door was suddenly broken down by a rather large Lion and Dorothy, who was still sobbing uncontrollably, ran to him and was engulfed in his furry embrace.

"What in Oz…" grumbled the Lion as he looked upon the scene, confusion flooding his face.

"She was burning, the fire from her broom caught onto her skirt and I was- I was just trying to help her and then she melted right in front of me!" blubbered Dorothy with tears streaming down her face, "She was going to kill me but now she's the one who's dead and you know I didn't want that to happen!" she cried to the Lion who held her.

"I know, I know you didn't," said the Lion quickly as his tail flickered back and forth nervously, "Now let's just get out of here before her spirit comes back to kill us."

They left as quickly as they came and Glinda waited to be completely sure that they were gone before she started horribly and heart-wrenchingly sobbing inside the closet.

The tears fell fast and more furiously than they ever had before and Glinda felt an agonizing pain travel through every part of her body until her whole being felt like it was being torched under a blazing fire. It was partly because the blonde was hysterically hyperventilating and partly because her lungs felt like they were failing her.

The world seemed to Glinda now as cruel and as harsh as it had been towards Elphaba. The celebratory shouts of the so-called witch hunters echoed from below.

"Good news, she's dead!" they cried.

With each praise of her lover's death Glinda felt even more wrecked and haunted with grief.

"I should have said something, I should have gone downstairs when I had the chance," Glinda cried into her hands.

She dropped to her knees on the hard stone floor and began to sob until she felt as if she couldn't breathe. This seemed to go on forever, and Glinda thought for sure that she would die in here. Not really caring anymore whether she lived or not, Glinda hoped that she would die in here.

_At least I would be with Elphaba's spirit_… she thought as her sobs quieted.

A few seconds later Glinda heard a shuffling of feet and the sound of a door opening.

"Oh, no dearie. This is no such thing for you to see! Go find Chistery if you want to be useful, Liir!"

Glinda recognized the voice as Nanny's and she placed her palms against the door again, waiting for the right moment to reveal herself to the old woman.

The blonde heard Liir's muffled answer and then his uneven footsteps as he walked away from the solar.

The door shut and Nanny was busy to herself and occasionally to Elphaba if Glinda heard correctly.

"Oh you old hag, you! Couldn't just let us have a quiet dinner with the sweet girl, could you? You had to go and try and kill her," suddenly Nanny paused and when she spoke again her voice was filled with grief and sadness, "And now look at you… dead just like your mother, father and sister. The whole lot of you is now dead except for poor Shell and what good has come from it? You terrible girl, leaving poor old Nanny with no one to look after! Well, I guess I'll just have to stay here… look after the kid that you never claimed as your son, do some dusting and keep the place the way you like it… in case you do ever decide to visit or drop by. Or just haunt all of Oz till the end of their days…" muttered the old woman.

It was after that that Glinda decided to speak up.

"Nanny?"

Her voice was childlike, almost as if she was calling to Nanny as if she had been her caretaker when she was younger instead of Ama Clutch.

Nanny lethargically came over to the closet where Glinda's voice had came from and unlocked and opened the door.

"Oh my Lurline!" she exclaimed, hand over her heart, "Did Fabala do this to you?"

Glinda got up from her position on the ground and decided to protect what she and Elphaba had.

"No, I was already in here and then I heard her and Dorothy coming so I decide to hide and I guess the door locked behind me," lied the blonde, "And then… I heard screaming and sizzling and then…" After trailing off, too horror-stricken to say more, her eyes traveled beyond Nanny to where the green puddle lay across the stones. The puddle that had once been Elphaba and she had been a friend, a confidant, a crush, and a lover to Glinda. That was all gone now. Elphaba and the memories and emotions that went with her were now dead and gone. Glinda could never get those back and she could never make new ones. She was stuck reliving the mistakes of her past and wishing that she could have done the things she had planned to do.

The fact that Elphaba was really dead hadn't hit Glinda until she could see for herself what was left of her. A puddle of green liquid was all that remained.

Gone were the sweet, tender grayish lips she had come to adore, gone were the dark eyes that entranced her and the hair as black as night, and lastly missing was the touch and voice of Elphaba.

"E-E-Elphie?" The name trembled on Glinda's lips as if she said it now she would never be able to say it again. Those ocean blue eyes filled with fresh tears as they set their sight on the puddle.

Nanny's face turned sympathetic and comforting all at the same time. She reached out and put a hand on Glinda's forearm, trying to get her out of the room.

"Come along, dearie. This is no place for you. You don't want to see it, too messy much too messy."

Nanny tried to move Glinda but the younger woman stayed where she was, trembling with angst and grief as tears spilled like rain on her face.

"No, no I'm not leaving!" shrieked Glinda when Nanny pulled on her arm roughly this time. She tore her arm out of the old woman's grip, much like she had so with Chuffrey, and backed away from her. Collapsing to the ground in survivor's guilt Glinda once again began to cry.

"I won't leave her, I can't. She can't be dead… she can't be… I'm the one who should be dead not her!" sobbed Glinda as she hiccupped and gasped.

Not resisting this time, Glinda let Nanny stand her up and lead her out of the solar with tears blurring in her eyes.

"You can't stay here forever, dearie. She wouldn't have wanted that, especially for you. She was very attached to you dear," soothed Nanny as Glinda leaned against a wall in the hallway and closed her eyes, only to escape from this horrible nightmare that had been her reality for just a minute.

"It's not fair… I deserved her life and she deserved mine…" Glinda suddenly crumbled as she opened her eyes and her breath hitched in her chest once more. Memories of Elphaba came rushing back to her head, ones of when they had met to their first unexpected kiss and then to when they had sex at the Corn Exchange to the most recent of their pleasure fulfilling moments.

Biting back a scream of anguish, Glinda turned her head back towards the door of the solar. An overwhelming urge to run in there and scream until her face turned blue came to her mind but she did not act upon it. She was too shocked, frightened, horrified and scared to do anything right now. Her mind was still in the process of fully understanding what had just taken place a few minutes ago.

"Don't you think of that now," fretted Nanny as she placed a warm hand on top of Glinda's kindly, "Neither of your lives are nor were destined to be perfect… nobody's are."

"But at least she could have been alive…" whispered Glinda mournfully as the sadness inside of her rose and entered her heart to gouge it of all happiness.

"Who says she isn't? A little girl claimed she melted that doesn't mean Elphaba's gone!" Nanny's voice and actions had turned a bit senile and Glinda feared this latest fate of the Thropp family was too much for the old woman. Instead of fighting her which Glinda half wanted to do because she didn't want false hope that Elphaba was alive, she went along with it.

"I guess it doesn't," Glinda said lightly as she wiped away her tears.

Nanny smiled and tightened her grasp on Glinda's hand for just a few seconds, "Oh don't guess dear. Nanny is always right."

She looked out a nearby window into the night sky and made soft noise with her voice, a muttering of some sort.

"You should be heading back to the city. I expect they'll be needing you there."

"I'm not going," stated Glinda stiffly. She wanted nothing more than to wallow in her self-grief and cry until her heart stopped beating.

"Oh, of course you're going dear. You have to. The citizens of Oz need you now…" said Nanny softly as she let go of Glinda's hand.

"Well I don't want them to need me! I don't want anyone to need me except-except for... _her_!" Glinda found herself unable to say Elphaba's name. She found herself a wreck even mention her name since her death was so fresh and still in her mind.

"She's gone dear, at least for the time being that is," Nanny reminded her, "So we have to make do with what we have left."

Glinda smiled watery at the old woman, "I'm afraid I don't have anyone or anything left."

The old woman's face caved in deep disappointment, "Oh that's not true dear. No matter what, you always have yourself."

Glinda laughed at her words tightly. She didn't even know if she had herself to rely on anymore. Glinda was slipping away, Galinda was long gone, and the child she had once been had been buried so far deep the blonde woman wouldn't know how to become her again.

"I'm afraid that I'm not all here anymore," confessed Glinda as she straightened herself off of the wall and stood up in her heels, "I think I'm going quite mad…"

Nanny smiled, "The best people do…"

Glinda met her eyes and almost smiled.

The elder woman's bones creaked as she looked at Glinda. Her eyes seared into the blonde's as if she knew, as if she had known all along about the relationship between Elphaba and Glinda. There was something in her eyes that told Glinda she knew the truth.

Nanny cleared her throat before she spoke.

"Do well for her, will you? If not for yourself or Oz then for her?"

Glinda felt a lump forming and she tried to swallow it but it was to no avail.

"She's gone… I don't have to be held to what she wanted me to do," said Glinda as she avoided Nanny's eyes.

"Oh, Glinda come now! You know better than that!" laughed Nanny with a smile; "Elphaba's too strong for this world to cast her away from it. She's not gone, and I suspect she never will be. She'll always be around us, whether in the air or hiding under a trapdoor thinking that she is too clever for us."

Glinda had heard enough of the woman's ridiculous talk. It was like a stab to her heart whenever Nanny said something about Elphaba's possible survival.

"I have to go," Glinda began to descend down the staircase with her hands wringing around each other, "Goodbye Nanny."

She made it to the front door when a soft, eerie whisper stopped her dead in her tracks.

_ "Glinda…."_

Her heart lurched and Glinda felt as if she would faint again. It couldn't be…

Glinda whirled around in her dress while her eyes madly scanned the castle. That voice had belonged to Elphaba and no one else. But no one was in the castle. Her body relaxed and remained tensed at the same time.

"It's just that old Nanny messing with you," convinced Glinda to herself, "Delusional old fool saying that Elphaba is still alive. She wasn't there. You were. Elphie's gone."

Glinda stretched herself to her full height and dried away her tears as she prepared to leave. She opened the door inviting the fresh cool air inside while she was looking to leave.

This time Glinda heard the whisper once more, but she ignored it and walked out of Kiamo Ko and away from the murder that had been committed within its walls.

**Sorry this chapter was super long. I got on a writing rampage with this story! So, to make things clear this story is not over and when it is I promise I will write the words 'the end' at it. :)**

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	31. Barely Holding On

Chapter Thirty-One:

By the time Glinda had reached the Emerald City it had already been declared throughout the entire land of Oz that Elphaba was dead. The city was, Glinda observed as she snuck her way through town, full of celebration and relief. The citizens of Oz couldn't have been happier with the news of the Wicked Witch of the West's demise. Glinda, on the other hand, was feeling wretchedly and horribly guilty and far more depressed than anyone truly realized. She traveled through the city, thankfully not recognized by anyone, and stood at the doorstep of the house that she and Chuffrey owned. Feelings that she couldn't pinpoint an exact emotion to fluttered in her stomach as she reached for the door handle. She told herself that it was out of necessity and desperation that she was here.

She hadn't wanted to come back to him, she didn't want to grovel at his feet for forgiveness but she had no other choice. She would be ruined if she didn't make sure that Chuffrey told no one about the relationship between Elphaba and her. She had by now convinced herself that the main reason that she was back with Chuffrey was to protect Elphaba's memory and her own reputation.

Pausing ever so slightly, Glinda prepared her fragile state of mind for what was to come after she was welcomed back, if she was even allowed back.

After a few moments of silence, Glinda knocked on the door. It opened and revealed Chuffrey on the other side, dressed in a silver military uniform adorned with badges and medals.

He didn't look as surprised to see her as Glinda wanted him to be. Instead Chuffrey looked at her like he had been expecting this all along.

"You're back," he said simply opening the door a bit wider to allow her to pass.

Glinda said nothing to him as she made her way past him with a cold shoulder and the silent treatment.

The blonde woman walked to her room and was followed by Chuffrey who hadn't said anything else other than what he had spoken at the door. Glinda knew he was waiting until they were alone, for the corridors and halls were filled with their servants, for him to speak and yell at her.

"Did you hear the good news?" he asked as he shut the door to her room behind him. Glinda kept her back towards him and remained silent. Her mind was too preoccupied with going over the details of Elphaba's death.

"She's dead," Chuffrey said gleefully, a smile taking over most of his face. Glinda breathed in deeply if only to keep the tears and sobs at bay.

"I know," she said in a faint voice as she made her way over to her bureau. She was slightly confused when she saw a stack of papers on her desk that was labeled, "Glinda's Speech."

Papers in hand, she turned around to Chuffrey, "What is the meaning of this?"

"Oh that…" Chuffrey made his voice sound bored, "The Wizard sent it over. He said that it would be best if you made the proper declaration that Elphaba was dead, being the Good Witch and all."

Glinda's face paled, "He said that or did you suggest it?" her voice was as hard as steel.

For an answer Chuffrey merely smiled at her with a tight, secret keeping grin.

"That doesn't really matter now, does it? The point is that you have to say it today out on the balcony for all of Oz."

Glinda turned her head back around to read the speech and after a few sentences Glinda found herself enraged, disgusted and sick with the fact that she would be the one who had to say those words about her dead lover.

"I'm not making this damn speech! I won't pretend to be happy about her death!" screamed Glinda as she threw the papers Chuffrey had placed on her desk on the ground and stomped her high heels on them as she tried to walk away.

"Oh yes you will!" shot back Chuffrey as he stepped in front of her and grabbed both of her wrists. He forced her physically to turn around and he held her against him while she tried to get out of his grasp.

With her back against his stomach Glinda tried to turn her neck around in order to spit on her husband's face but by that time she felt extreme pain from her right wrist and focused her eyes on that.

"Stop it," she managed to get out, "I think you're breaking my wrist!"

"No, no I won't stop! I will do what I want with you!" Chuffrey said gruffly as he let go of her wrists and shoved her to the marble floor.

Glinda fell forward and landed on her knees and palms. Her whole body stung from the impact and she felt tears of pain well up in her eyes.

Swallowing the tears back, Glinda slowly looked up at Chuffrey with the most reproachful and hateful glare that blonde could give him.

"I hate you!" she said reverently as she tried to catch her breath. She meant every word and he knew it too.

But instead of retaliating like Glinda thought he would have, the older man she called her husband just smirked at her and shook his head.

"Do you know what I did when I first heard the news of her death?" he asked as he paced around the broken blonde in circles, "I drank in celebration. And then I thought for a minute of our last encounter… and how you said you were going to visit her." At this point Chuffrey kneeled down, grabbed Glinda's chin and forced her to look into his eyes, "You were there, weren't you my dear? You saw the girl kill her and you knew that there was nothing you could do stop it. And now…" he smiled at her cruelly as his other hand was placed on her side and traveled upwards towards her breast, "You've come back to me."

Glinda shook her head and her blonde locks blocked her view and that of which she was thankful for. She opened her mouth to protest but Chuffrey didn't let her speak.

"You did and don't deny it. Now that she's dead, now just a puddle of green liquid, you had no one else to return to. No one else would take you in. Your parents would send you right back to me, your real friends are dead or missing, and you had no one to turn to."

He looked at Glinda with a knowing smile on his face and she didn't respond.

"I will never love you like I loved her," said Glinda finally.

Chuffrey nodded at that and he suddenly seized a fistful of her dress and dragged her towards him on the ground.

"I know… but that doesn't make any difference to me," he hissed in her ear.

His lips were quickly forced upon her own lips and Glinda felt more used and hopeless than she ever had before in her life. As he pressed his body against her Glinda rendered that it was useless and too exhausting to fight back. She slowly fell back onto the floor as Chuffrey's hands made their way to the back of her dress and undid the strings of her attire and corset.

Glinda was tired, too dreary and faint to even protest as she felt his hands slide down against her bareback.

All she could think about was Elphaba. Even as Chuffrey raised her skirts to her thighs and entered her, the bewitching green woman was still on her mind.

Keeping the whimpers of pain inside, Glinda bit on her bottom lip so hard that she drew blood as Chuffrey continued to have his way with her.

His hands roughly dug into her shoulders and his breath was hot on her neck.

If Elphaba were still alive Glinda would have fought against him. She would have slapped him straight across the face and kicked him until he got away from her. But now, now that Elphaba was dead, Glinda had nothing and no one to fight for.

"Elphie…" Glinda's whimper was supposed to only stay inside of her head but it managed to escape her tightly pressed lips into the air.

Immediately Chuffrey stopped and the blonde woman could hear his rapid breathing even though she refused to look at him. With her head turned to the side now, she was more than relieved when he got off of her.

"You can say her name all you want when I do this to you but it won't change the fact that she's dead and you're still alive," reminded Chuffrey in the coldest manner anyone had ever spoken to her.

Glinda's lips quivered and her vision went blurry. Silent clear tears slowly made their way down her cheeks as she lay there on the ground, not even attempting to move and rearrange her clothes that had been pushed up all around her. She felt void, like just another empty life taking up space in this world. Even still Glinda would not like her horrible husband see her cry like this.

"If you don't do this speech, and any other speeches you are asked to do in the future," Chuffrey paused in his speaking, "I will tell everyone that you and the Wicked Witch of the West were lovers. I will tell everybody the truth about what you two really were. You were freaks, the both of you!" He cleared his throat as he stared at her, almost as if he were disgusted, "Now… do you understand that, dear?"

The blonde woman on the floor made no movement or agreement or of refusal so her husband took her silence as a yes.

"I thought you would agree to that," were his parting words.

Glinda cringed, as the door was slammed shut, signaling that he had finally left her alone. Once she was sure, Glinda slowly and with severe aching in her body moved off of the floor. She stood up unsteadily and clutched at her abdomen in more pain than she had ever experienced. This pain though, was not all because of what had just been done to her, it was the pain of being forced to obey, forced to hide her true self from the world and conform to what Chuffrey expected of her.

As Glinda thought of her options, she realized that she had no other choice. Chuffrey had made her stuck and she felt as if she was in a black box that was enclosed on all sides and she was suffocating.

Stumbling most of the way, Glinda went to her medicine cabinet where the numerous bottles of pills had been replenished inside. She grabbed two, four, six, seven bottles in the end and lined them up along the sink. She knew that the only way she was going to get through this speech was as if she was barely conscious for it. It would be better on her soul if she didn't remember saying the horrid words she had to speak about her friend and lover.

She took ten pills from each of the seven bottles and swallowed them ten pills at a time with a glass of water. After she had swallowed the seventy pills, Glinda gripped the edges of the sink with pinching hands. Her stomach churned and felt like she would throw up. Her body started shaking in spasms from the excess medicine she had forced into her small figure.

Glinda looked up into the mirror to see the woman reflected back at her. Her blonde hair shone in a tangled mess around a ghost-like pale face with lips that looked like smears of blood. The icy blue in her eyes was bright and was the most shocking and alluring thing on her face. The black dress that she wore was in disarray on her body. Parts of the dress were ripped from Chuffrey and others were dirty from the walk to and from Kiamo Ko. In the reflection the woman looking back at Glinda looked severely haunted and weary.

_"Glinda…"_

The whisper that Glinda thought she had escaped at Kiamo Ko had now returned in her own home. Glinda felt the hairs of the back of her neck prick up as she breathed slowly and tried to ignore the whisper.

_"Glinda… I love you…"_

The voice seemed to swirl itself around Glinda's body and into her heart.

"Stop it!" Glinda shrieked at the voice that seemed to be coming from all around her, as it grew louder and louder, "You're dead, Elphie so stop haunting me! I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry I couldn't save you! Just… please Elphie let me be for once…"

Glinda knew that what she had just said could never be true. Elphaba would never be out of her thoughts anymore for another second of her life.

"I love you too, I love you so much… I just- I just can't do this without you!" screamed Glinda as her own reflection in the mirror turned into one of Elphaba. The blonde woman, whether she was delirious from the pills or from sheer madness she could not tell, skidded back away from the image and collapsed onto the tile floor of her bathroom.

The image of her dead lover began to slowly fade away and Glinda reached out a trembling pale hand to keep her here.

"No, no don't leave me!" Glinda shrieked at full volume and her voice cracked and split with raw hurt and pain, "You know I can't live without you!"

When the image finally disappeared for good Glinda slammed both her palms into the mirror and began to cry. She didn't hear or see that Chuffrey had come into the bathroom to see what the screaming had all been about. She didn't care that she had knocked the pill bottles onto the floor, the numerous contents in each spilling all over the tiles.

She let Chuffrey lead her out of the bathroom and into her room. She even let him strip her and then redress her body in a gown of shimmering blue. She stayed silent while he did all of this and had quiet tears rolling down her cheeks consistently while he did so.

Lastly Chuffrey placed a dazzling, sparkling tiara in her now combed out curls.

"Here is the speech," he said as he stuffed the papers in her hands, "Now don't you dare mess up or go off track, or even refuse to speak for you know what will happen if you do."

Glinda's fingers moved slightly across the paper while it was held in her grasp. Her eyes and soul seemed void of all emotion now like that encounter in the mirror had zapped her of her humanity and feelings.

"She was here… she was in the mirror," whispered Glinda tearfully, "Chuffrey, she's still alive!"

A crazed, mad look now came into those blue eyes of hers and Chuffrey found himself disturbed at the way she was acting.

Finding that no other way except abuse was effective with her, Chuffrey thought for a brief moment and then slapped Glinda across the face on both sides.

The blonde reeled from the blows with her hands at her face and she looked at Chuffrey with the saddest look he had ever seen on her face.

"She's not alive… she's dead. She's a puddle of liquid now and don't you ever forget that again, Glinda!" he hissed at her as he picked up the papers that she had dropped and returned them to her.

"Now go!" he commanded as he pushed her out of her room and out onto the balcony where her advisors and counselors stood on either side of her. A crowd of buzzing excitement to hear what she had to say had emerged and gathered all around the house.

A podium with a microphone was placed in front of her. Glinda tapped on it with one finger as she put the papers in a neat pile on the podium's slant of wood.

Her hands were now placed on the sequins of her gown and Glinda felt as if she would pass out or throw up or maybe even both as she felt the eyes of the citizens of Oz on her.

Gulping and sneaking a backwards glance at Chuffrey who merely nodded her on in encouragement, Glinda felt like this life that she led was all too false and fake.

Wringing her hands together nervously and looking out at the crowd, Glinda's mouth was suddenly dry. It felt like a sun was scorching its ray on her like a spotlight and Glinda was feeling more faint with every passing second.

"F-f-f-fellow-fellow Ozians," she stuttered. She looked down at her paper, not even trying to smile radiantly at them like she had in previous speeches. Glinda had never stuttered or even faltered with her words before this speech and the crowd grew uneasy when she remained silent for a long period of time.

_ "Glinda…"_ Her name was being whispered over and over again by the same voice, by Elphaba's voice. The noise was everywhere to Glinda, it seemed like it was even inside her head at times.

The blonde woman that everyone in Oz adored raised her golden head and opened her mouth to speak but she found to her and everyone else's horror that no words could escape her lips.

**Poor Glinda. I just love torturing her... So um... the next chapter is going to be the last one and then an epilogue. I can already tell what the reviews are going to be like so in advance: please don't kill me! :(**

**PS. Antiwicked, I am going with the ending that we talked about a while ago so don't be surprised when it happens. :)**

**Until I upload again...**

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	32. My Last Breath

Chapter Thirty-Two:

No words could escape the trembling blonde who stood behind the podium. Her mouth hung open showing her pearly white teeth but no sound could be heard from her lips. It was like she was frozen up there on the balcony. Her eyes had a misty, far off look in them as she stared down at the citizens below.

To everyone else it looked as though the Good Witch that they had known and loved had finally choked and cracked.

To Glinda though, she was frozen because she felt as if she was in some horrible hellish nightmare.

All around her, her eyes saw a million copies of Elphaba who were looking at her intently.

They all whispered the same thing, the same word over and over again until it was blurred so much that Glinda could barely register what it was that they were saying.

_"Glinda…"_ they beckoned to her in soft, whispering tones. _"Glinda…"_

The blonde felt the last of her heartstrings that had been filled with little hope of Elphaba's survival snap.

Any feelings that she had cast aside now came rushing back into the blonde. Flashes of memories, good and bad ones, came to her mind.

The memories left as quickly as they had come but it was just enough so that Glinda still remembered them…Elphaba at her wedding, when Elphaba had kissed her at her own wedding, what had happened with Ama Clutch and the baby, things the two witches had done at the Corn Exchange, when Glinda had killed Fiyero, when Glinda had left Elphaba in the mauntery and didn't go back for her, Elphaba remembering that is was Glinda who killed Fiyero, and finally Elphaba's precious last moments evaded the blonde's mind. Those were memories and things that the blonde had tried so hard to bury deep down inside of her so that she never had to remember the pain and the hurt, but it all came back now and the pain was worse than it ever had been before.

After her mind remembered the horrible memories it finally registered and accepted that Elphaba was dead. She was dead, no pulse radiating through her body, no breaths of air being taken in from her lungs, she was nothing more than a puddle.

Ragged gasps now came from Glinda and she felt as if she would keel over from the lack of oxygen. Once the truth that Elphaba was dead had been accepted by her brain, it was as if the rest of her body was shutting down at the news.

Glinda's lungs felt as if they were shrinking by the seconds, her pulse felt like it was slowing, her eyes were tearing up at the supposed lack of oxygen; her body trembled and shook like she was being electrocuted.

With the last of her sanity fleeing, Glinda briefly wondered if this was because of the excess medication that she had taken but that idea was thrown out of her mind when her world began to swirl.

Colors blended together, faces became unrecognizable, ordinary things became meshed together.

Glinda felt tight hands on her forearms but she didn't know whose hands they were.

"Glinda, come on! Get yourself together!" snapped an angry voice and Glinda, though her mind was not stable by any means, knew it was Chuffrey that was yelling at her.

The hands pushed her back towards the podium and she heard Chuffrey make up some apology to the citizens of Oz for her behavior, saying that she was too overjoyed to even speak of this occasion.

Glinda licked her lips as her lungs slowly began to behave themselves and she found that she could breathe again. Her blue eyes flickered down to the paper that she was supposed to read and she found herself starting over again.

"Fellow-fellow Ozians," she managed to get out in a whispery faint voice.

"I-" she paused. Her eyes were looking out at the crowd and she had suddenly spotted Yackle with that damn cat in her arms, looking quite pleased. Besides Yackle was the man who had ordered Elphaba to be killed, The Wizard of Oz.

They both looked at her with stern eyes, like they were expecting her to go on and act like nothing was wrong just like she had done numerous times before this. But this time, this occasion, was different. It was not a lie that she was supposed to spread; it was not something that they had made up for her to tell that was half true and half not. This, Elphaba's death, was real and the blonde could not and would not lie about real things.

"I have a confession to make-" but as soon as Glinda got those words out a hand, Chuffrey's hand, clamped over her mouth and turned her sharply around to face him.

One of the guards came over and covered the microphone to keep their conversation private.

"What in Oz's name do you think you are doing?" hissed out Chuffrey angrier than Glinda had ever seen him as he took his hand off of her mouth.

"I won't lie to them," said Glinda standing her ground, "Not about this."

"The hell you will!" whispered Chuffrey, "Now say that speech."

"No!" said Glinda fiercely, "They deserve to know the truth."

Chuffrey stared at her, his brown eyes cold and hard. His hands trembled into fists but he did not strike her. For once Glinda was glad that they were having this fight out in public; it meant that he could not hurt her no matter how much he wanted to.

"So you're going to tell them everything? And you do mean everything?" his eyes glinted with satisfaction.

Glinda bit her lip as her mind wandered to the intimate memories she had shared with Elphaba.

"I will share with them what I believe they should know."

Chuffrey smiled, "And then I will share with them what _I_ believe they should know."

Glinda felt enraged at his smug smile and she leaned in close towards his face.

"They don't believe in you like they believe in me. What makes you think that they will listen to you? You have no power over them…"

Glinda suddenly felt weak as she stared up at her husband. She felt as if she was going to start shaking again but she willed herself not to.

"But I have power over you, my dear. And if you do not confess everything today then I will force you to at some point after this," it was a threat and not an empty one.

He kissed the bridge of her nose and whispered in her ear, "You might have the rest of Oz fooled by who you pretend to be but I know who you really are. I know that you are not as powerful as they make you out to be. You might have power over the citizens of Oz in this moment but I've always had power over you…"

He took several steps away from her and signaled the guard to leave the podium. Without a second glance back at him, Glinda turned towards the crowd feeling quite delirious.

Swallowing hard Glinda rearranged the stack of papers and then dismissed the words that had been written on them.

She looked out into the crowd, with her hands shaking against the wood of the podium, her body trembling at the cold wind that was blowing all around her, to find that the crowd had vanished from sight.

As Glinda looked around at her new setting she realized that she was back at Kiamo Ko. Stonewalls and floors surrounded her and everything looked as though no one had touched it since the murder of Elphaba.

She jumped, startled when she heard the sound of laughter rise up from what seemed like beneath the floor.

She felt something poke her shoulder and the blonde turned around to find nothing there. Disappointed she turned back around and was startled with what she saw. A stone door of sorts had been opened from its place on the floor. The dark hole that was now revealed seemed to beckon to Glinda who walked towards it slowly.

Her eyes adjusted to the darkness as she peered down into the hole but nothing was to be found inside it.

_"I'm not down there anymore,"_ said a voice.

Glinda looked up to see Elphaba flying on her ratty old broomstick in the open air by the window. Glinda walked over to her in wonder and amazement. She reached out a hand and touched Elphaba's face through the open window. The soft emerald skin that she had grown to love felt to her fingers like nothing more than empty air.

Glinda recoiled her hand back in disappointment, "Are you really here?" she asked having her doubts.

_"I'm not where you are right now, no. But I am still in Oz,"_ replied Elphaba with a gentle smile.

"Where? I'll come find you," said the blonde eagerly, her face lighting up at the possibility that she could find Elphaba again.

_"Don't,"_ said Elphaba sharply, _"I'll find you, when the time is right. But-"_ she paused and looked at Glinda with soft, sympathetic eyes, _"Glinda… don't follow me okay?"_

The blonde's lips turned into a pout as she stepped over the window frame and stood balancing on the stone ledge just below the window on the outer wall of the castle.

"I'm not going to follow you, I'm coming with you. Slide over, I can fit on that broom," said Glinda confidently.

_"You're going to die, Glinda,"_ said Elphaba softly, tearfully was more like it.

"No, I'm not. You'll catch me. You've always been there for me," protested Glinda. What was Elphaba saying; of course she wasn't going to die. Elphaba was right in front of her and Glinda was more than confident that she was going to catch her when she jumped.

_"That's just it, my sweet. I'm not where you are. Glinda, you are balancing on the railing of the balcony. If you fall, I am not there to catch you,"_ said Elphaba with tears in her eyes, _"Please don't try and follow me because I am not there!"_

Glinda looked at her surroundings, no balcony or railing was in sight.

"Elphie, what are you talking about? There is no railing or balcony here!"

Glinda was confused. Maybe Elphaba was the one who had lost her sanity instead of Glinda.

She slid a little on the stone ledge but she kept her balance. Invisible arms and hands felt like they were trying to drag her back into the castle but Glinda would have none of it. She tore her forearms out of their grasps and slid a bit more.

"Elphie," Glinda had started to cry now, "I don't understand! Let me come with you!"

_"Please, don't jump. Why can't you just snap out of it, you stupid blonde?"_ Elphaba yelled at her as she pivoted her broomstick away from the blonde to hide the tears that were falling from her brown eyes.

"I don't know what to snap out of!" cried Glinda as her chest heaved with heavy sobs, "All I know is that you're here and you keep telling me I can't come with you!"

_"You don't deserve to die like this. You deserve a good death, one with you passing away in your sleep, one with you dying from a ripe old age. Galinda Upland you are not going to die over my death. You are not going to die over me,"_ said Elphaba passionately as she kissed the blonde one last time on the lips and then faded away.

"Elphie, no! I love you!" screamed Glinda when she realized that Elphaba had faded away and that Kiamo Ko had also disappeared.

With her last scream echoing throughout the city along with the horrified screams of the Ozians who were watching, Glinda the Good jumped off the railing and plummeted into the ground below.

…She was pronounced dead by her husband that day.

**In the words of antiwicked who helped me come up with this ending:**

**BAM. Afterlife.**

**Or is it…?**

**Don't forget that we still have an epilogue…so this is not the end… so please don't send me "I hate you" reviews just yet...**

**Bubble**


	33. Epilogue

Epilogue:

The nurse opened the door to check in on the patient. The patient, a blonde woman who was maybe around thirty or thirty-eight sat on the hard bed with her blue eyes staring at the wall opposite her.

"Elphie?" asked the blonde woman as her eyes snapped up to see the nurse. Her face turned sorely disappointed when she realized that the nurse was not who she thought she was.

"No, Lady Chuffrey I am not Elphie," said the nurse as if she had said it a million times to the woman which she probably had..

"She was here, " spoke up Glinda, "I know she was! She comes every night just like she said she would! But nobody ever believes me!"

The nurse shook her head and looked at the blonde woman. Her hair was knotted and tangled, though it still shone in the dim lights that flickered on and off in the bare room. Her eyes glinted with a hint of madness but the nurse knew when the woman was about to lose her sanity. She had been Glinda's primary nurse ever since she had come to Southstairs Asylum for the Mentally Insane all those years ago. Now here they both were, ten years later or so but who really was counting, and they were still the same. Glinda was still convinced that this 'Elphaba' person came to her every night and Allaska was convinced that the poor woman was in terrible grief over something and would refuse until the day she died to ever let it go.

The metal bed creaked as the former Good Witch crossed her ankles daintily and her hands gripped the bed sheets and it distracted Allaska from her thoughts. She felt a cool breeze across her skin and her gaze traveled to the source of the wind. The one window that was in the room, which was placed high above almost near the ceiling was ajar.

"Lady Chuffrey," asked Allaska as she peered curiously at the open window and then to the deranged woman, "How did the window get open?" She knew for a fact that Glinda could not open it. First, the woman was frankly too petite to even reach it, and second the window had to be opened with a key for it was locked.

Puzzled, Allaska waited for her answer.

"Elphie opened it when she came in last night. I guess she forgot to close it again," Glinda said nonchalantly as if this was a normal reoccurring thing.

Allaska opened her mouth to comment, to reinforce what Sir Chuffrey had demanded that all care-takers of Glinda severely remind her that this Elphaba person was dead and was never coming back, but she found that for once she could not. She closed her mouth and nodded.

"Would you like me to close it for her?" Allaska asked.

That head full of blonde curls shook from side to side, "No. She'll be back tonight. You better leave it open."

Pursing her lips together, Allaska nodded firmly and paused before leaving.

"Is there anything else you need?"

Glinda smiled faintly at Allaska, "Besides Elphaba, no. Thank you for asking, dear."

Nodding a final time, Allaska opened the door and left Glinda's permanent room, leaving the blonde to herself.

Once by herself, the blonde ruler relaxed. She ran her fingers through her hair absentmindedly as she sat on the bed. She had half a mind to pace around the room but she decided against it. Sitting in that room all day everyday for the past few years was taking its toll on her. She was mentally and physically exhausted but Glinda knew that's exactly what they wanted her to feel like. They broke people here at the Southstairs Asylum and Glinda had promised herself and Elphaba that she wouldn't succumb to their wants. She would not break.

"Some things are easier said than done," muttered Glinda to herself as she leaned against the cold wall and closed her eyes.

She knew that Elphaba would be here any moment, it had to be near dark soon and that's always when she came.

The visits from Elphaba every night were the only things that had kept Glinda slightly sane over the years. She looked forward to them every single day and it was an incentive for her to behave in this loony place.

At last the blonde heard the widening of the window and a swooshing sound as a figure came into the room.

"Glin… what are you doing?"

The voice was unmistakable and just hearing it made the blonde woman sneak a smile upon her face.

"Resting. I'm tired, Elphie," replied the blonde as she felt instant relief flood her as she realized that Elphaba was here and it was not her imagination.

Opening one eye and then the other the image of Elphaba soon greeted Glinda's sight and the smile that was on her face widened.

"Too tired for me?" asked Elphaba sweetly as she hopped down from the open window onto the floor and walked over to where Glinda was. She placed her broomstick against the wall.

"I'm never too tired for you," said Glinda as she felt Elphaba sit down on the hard crickety bed and Glinda leaned her head on Elphaba's shoulder.

Long slender fingers snaked through blonde hair comfortingly.

"How are the voices?" asked Elphaba quietly.

"I can tell when they're yours and when they're not," said Glinda wearily as she sighed. She didn't want to think of the whispery voices that she heard on occasion that seemed to haunt her.

"You know that's not what I mean," said Elphaba softly. She prompted the blonde for a response but she half figured that she was not going to get one.

"I don't want to talk about that," said Glinda dismissively, "How are you?"

The blonde instinctively curled closer to the green woman and felt the soothing beat of her heart in her chest.

"In hiding like I always am," answered Elphaba with a small smile. Glinda looked up at that green face that she had loved ever since she had laid eyes on it even though she could never admit it to herself until later. Slowly she reached up her arm and wrapped her hand around the back of Elphaba's head. Glinda inclined her head upwards and the blonde painstakingly pressed her lips against the green woman's.

Elphaba was slightly caught off guard by the action but pleased nonetheless.

A green hand was placed against a snow white face as the kiss deepened. The flimsy gray uniform of a dress that Glinda was forced to wear shifted up her thighs as she moved closer to Elphaba.

"Glin… not tonight. It's a short visit today," whispered Elphaba when she pulled away from the other woman.

"Why?" Glinda's face was filled with hurt and sadness. Elphaba's heart ached when she saw the reaction on Glinda's face.

"It's just not safe tonight, all right my sweet?" said Elphaba a bit testily. She had other things to deal with tonight.

Glinda sighed longingly as she shifted away from Elphaba.

"All right," said Glinda glumly. She pouted prettily with her eyes downcast at the tile floor.

"Just one more kiss, Elphie? Like we used to…" the blonde trailed off and smiled as she looked at Elphaba, "Do you remember that time at Kiamo Ko when you told me not to jump? We were about to kiss and then you disappeared… where did you go, Elphie? You were right there and then you just vanished…"

Elphaba glanced at her and smiled back softly but her smile faded when she saw that far away distant look in Glinda's eyes that she knew all too well.

It took Elphaba everything she had left inside of her not to cry. She knew that this place was slowly killing every ounce of the blonde woman.

'Glin… we were never at Kiamo Ko and I was never telling you not to jump' was the thing that Elphaba wanted to scream at Glinda until she understood but Elphaba held her tongue as the blonde continued.

"And then that other time when you appeared in my mirror and you told me you loved me… I thought you were dead," laughed Glinda with a giggle, "But you're not," her face suddenly turned serious as a hand touched Elphaba's face, "You're real and you're alive. But why did you lie? Why did you lie to me?"

She turned angry in a split second as she spat out those last words. Her nails pinched into Elphaba's skin and the green witch winced as she tried to get Glinda's hand off of her face.

"Glinda I'm sorry, really I am. I promise when the time is right I will explain everything to you," swore Elphaba as Glinda let her grip fall from her face.

"When will that be, Elphie?" asked Glinda quietly her demeanor now sweet and demure.

Elphaba looked at her, really looked at her. She could practically see the marks of madness that were etching themselves onto Glinda's body and soul.

"I don't know," said Elphaba softly as she stood up from the bed and turned to leave. She grabbed her broomstick and didn't look back as she made her way towards the door until Glinda's voice broke the silence.

"Elphie, you said that for witches like us that there were no happy endings. There are only ends and afters…"

"Yes, I did. What are you getting at, my sweet?" Elphaba turned at the door to look at her.

A bright radiant smile appeared on the blonde's face for what seemed like the first time since Elphaba's 'death'.

"Well, this is a happy ending, isn't it?" Glinda's voice sounded hopeful. It sounded like she had spoken long ago when they had been at Shiz. Her voice was young, hopeful, not bitter and frail like it had been as the years had gone by.

"Yes," said Elphaba softly though she could hardly see Glinda's logic in deeming this situation as a happy one. This situation where Glinda was locked up as a mentally insane woman with the rest of Oz thinking she was dead and with Elphaba much the same and a runaway fugitive, "I suppose it is."

"Elphie?" Glinda's voice forced her to answer. She couldn't deny that sweet noise even if she had tried.

"Glinda," she prompted, letting the blonde continue even though the green woman had her back turned to her.

Those ocean blue eyes swelled up with tears and her lips trembled like the flower petals of a rose in a breeze.

"You'll come back, won't you?"

Though it was asked as a question Elphaba felt it was a responsibility and an obligation to come back. She knew she couldn't leave Glinda in here to fend for herself. Her Glinda was fragile and even more so ever since she was put in here for trying to kill herself. She was unraveling, just like Elphaba had at Kiamo Ko. But Elphaba refused to let Glinda get like she had been. She refused to have that pure innocent woman turn into a hallucinating and murderous monster. Glinda was too good for that. Even after everything Glinda had done to Elphaba and vice versa they both would not let each other falter.

"Always," she said softly and she took one last look at the blonde and then shut the door, the promise of her return swirling around the air and giving hope to the otherwise hopeless blonde woman.

* * *

"Back again are we?" said a voice as she entered the hallway of the asylum. Elphaba whirled around, her broom ready to strike whoever was speaking to her in the darkness. A figure emerged from the shadows. A prominent jaw line was seen first by Elphaba from the reflecting moonlight and then she saw the shine of military badges and of a uniform.

"Chuffrey," gritted out Elphaba with a hiss.

"Elphaba," replied Chuffrey as he stepped forward even more to reveal his entire being to her.

"How is she?" continued Chuffrey as he picked at the invisible lint on his clothes.

Elphaba shot him a glare, "We both know that you really don't care about her."

"Oh contraire, I do care about her," countered Chuffrey with a brief smile.

"Only when she is of value to your needs and wants," snapped Elphaba. She paused to calm herself while Chuffrey stood in the silence.

"You're such a monster for putting her in here," hissed Elphaba as she turned around, her black skirts flying in the air as she prepared to leave.

"And you're the monster that keeps her in here by showing her that you are still alive even though to the rest of Oz you are dead," shot back Chuffrey.

"At least I'm not the man who claimed to be her husband and then forced myself upon her for not loving the sick twisted man that I am. And I didn't lie to all of Oz and said that she was dead and then locked her in here," said Elphaba passionately. She thought of how Glinda had slowly descended into madness each time Elphaba had visited and she felt enraged by the mistreatment of her friend.

"Do you know what you've done to her?" hissed Elphaba as she closed the distance between herself and Chuffrey by moving closer to him in a threatening way with the broom raised in her hand.

"I've paled in comparison to what I've done to her than what you have done to her," reminded the blonde woman's loathsome husband.

"You never loved her! At least I loved her!" said Elphaba heatedly as her thoughts went back to the stories Glinda had told her of how Chuffrey treated her.

The older man looked bored at the acts of passion towards Glinda.

"You'll be back tomorrow, I presume," said Sir Chuffrey stiffly without looking at her.

"I will be back _every single day_ until the day she dies," promised Elphaba.

A ghost of a smile appeared on the old man's face, "I suspected nothing less."

Retreating away from him, Elphaba felt she had nothing further to say to him.

"This isn't over is it?" called out Chuffrey as she was walking down the hallway to leave.

The glare that he received as she left provided the confirmation he needed. This clandestine relationship between the two supposed dead women was long from over.

In fact, it was just getting started….

THE END

**So in case you guys can't tell I'm planning to write a sequel to this. I'm really excited and hope that you all will continue to support this story when I post the sequel. As for this story I am so grateful and appreciative of all your reviews and favorites and follows. Thanks so much and until I post the sequel!**

**Oh and see I didn't kill Glinda! Though I am quite tempted to maybe off Chuffrey in the sequel. Chuffrey Hunters unite!**

**Bubble**


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